CVE-2011-0485 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 8.0.552.237 and Chrome OS before 8.0.552.344 do not properly handle speech data, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors that lead to a "stale pointer."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/12/2021
This vulnerability affects google chrome versions prior to 8.0.552.237 and chrome os versions prior to 8.0.552.344, representing a critical memory safety issue that arises from improper handling of speech data within the browser environment. The flaw manifests as a stale pointer condition that occurs when the browser processes speech input data, creating a scenario where memory addresses become invalid while still being referenced by the application. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration category CWE-462, which specifically addresses duplicate key in hash table and related memory management issues. The stale pointer vulnerability represents a classic memory corruption flaw that can be exploited to gain unauthorized code execution privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the browser's speech recognition subsystem where speech data is processed and stored in memory. When speech input is handled improperly, the system may retain references to memory locations that have already been freed or reallocated, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate these stale pointers. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that multiple attack surfaces could be leveraged to trigger this condition, potentially including malformed speech data, unexpected input sequences, or timing-based exploitation techniques. This type of memory corruption vulnerability aligns with the attack pattern taxonomy under attack technique T1059, specifically targeting code execution through memory corruption methods.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems without requiring local access or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage. The stale pointer condition creates a predictable memory corruption scenario that can be systematically exploited to overwrite critical memory segments, potentially leading to privilege escalation or complete system compromise. Attackers could craft malicious web content that, when processed by the vulnerable chrome browser, would trigger the memory corruption and subsequently execute malicious payloads. The vulnerability affects not only desktop chrome installations but also chrome os devices, extending the attack surface to embedded systems and mobile platforms. This represents a particularly dangerous flaw because it can be exploited through web-based attacks without requiring any special privileges or user consent, making it a prime target for zero-day exploits in targeted attack campaigns.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate patching of affected chrome browser versions to the patched releases, which contain proper memory management controls and pointer validation mechanisms. Organizations should implement browser hardening measures including disabling unnecessary speech recognition features, implementing content security policies, and using web application firewalls to filter potentially malicious speech data. The remediation process should also include monitoring for exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis and endpoint detection systems. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of visiting untrusted websites and the importance of keeping their browser software updated. Security teams should also consider implementing exploit prevention mechanisms such as address space layout randomization and data execution prevention to make exploitation more difficult even if the vulnerability is not patched immediately. The fix typically involves implementing proper memory deallocation procedures and ensuring that all pointers are properly invalidated after memory release operations.