CVE-2011-0777 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in Google Chrome before 9.0.597.84 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via vectors related to image loading.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0777 represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Google Chrome versions prior to 9.0.597.84 that specifically targets the browser's image loading functionality. This type of vulnerability occurs when a program continues to reference memory that has already been freed, creating opportunities for malicious actors to exploit the memory management error. The issue falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-416, which specifically addresses the use of freed memory, making it a well-documented and dangerous class of vulnerability. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enabling more severe consequences including arbitrary code execution, as the memory corruption could be leveraged to manipulate program execution flow.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs during the image loading process within Chrome's rendering engine, where improper memory management during the handling of image resources creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory state. When Chrome processes certain image formats or malformed image data, the browser's memory allocation and deallocation mechanisms fail to properly track resource usage, leading to situations where freed memory blocks are accessed again. This particular flaw demonstrates the complexity of modern browser security, where the interaction between multiple subsystems including image decoders, memory managers, and rendering engines creates numerous potential attack vectors. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers can trigger the flaw through web content without requiring local system access, making it particularly dangerous in web-based attack scenarios.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-0777 extends significantly beyond simple service disruption, as the use-after-free condition can potentially enable remote code execution in the context of the browser process. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability could gain the ability to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems, potentially leading to full system compromise. The vulnerability's presence in the image loading subsystem means that even visiting a malicious website could result in exploitation, as modern web pages frequently include various image formats that could trigger the flawed memory management. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in phishing attacks or drive-by downloads where users are unknowingly exposed to malicious content through legitimate web browsing activities. The potential for unspecified other impacts indicates that the memory corruption could be leveraged for privilege escalation or information disclosure, further amplifying the security risk.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2011-0777 primarily involves updating to Google Chrome version 9.0.597.84 or later, which includes patches addressing the memory management issues in the image loading component. Organizations should prioritize this update as part of their vulnerability management processes, particularly given the remote exploitation capability and potential for arbitrary code execution. Additional protective measures include implementing web filtering solutions that can block known malicious content, deploying browser hardening techniques, and ensuring that users are not visiting untrusted websites. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of memory safety in modern software development practices, emphasizing the need for comprehensive testing including fuzzing and memory analysis tools. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving memory corruption and privilege escalation, making it a significant concern for organizations implementing defensive security measures. The incident underscores the critical nature of keeping browser software up-to-date, as the patched version addresses fundamental memory management flaws that could be exploited in sophisticated attack scenarios.