CVE-2011-0984 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 9.0.597.94 does not properly handle plug-ins, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/17/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0984 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw within Google Chrome versions prior to 9.0.597.94. This issue specifically manifests in the browser's handling of plug-ins, creating a potential avenue for remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks. The flaw stems from insufficient validation mechanisms when processing plug-in content, allowing malicious actors to craft specially crafted inputs that trigger memory access violations. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous in web browsers as they can be exploited through standard web navigation without requiring any special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a compromised website. The out-of-bounds read condition occurs when the browser attempts to access memory locations beyond the allocated boundaries of plug-in data structures, potentially leading to system instability or complete browser crashes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves Chrome's plug-in architecture failing to properly sanitize or validate input parameters received from third-party plug-ins. When a malicious plug-in or web content attempts to interact with Chrome's plug-in handling mechanisms, the browser's memory management routines do not adequately verify array bounds or memory access patterns. This allows attackers to manipulate memory pointers or data structures in ways that cause the browser to read beyond allocated memory regions. The flaw operates at the intersection of memory safety and plug-in security, where the browser's trust model for plug-in content is insufficiently enforced. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and demonstrates how improper input validation can lead to memory corruption issues. The attack surface is particularly broad as it affects all users who encounter malicious plug-in content through standard web browsing activities.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to effectively disable Chrome browser functionality through denial of service attacks. When exploited, the out-of-bounds read causes Chrome to crash or become unresponsive, requiring users to manually restart the browser application. The remote nature of the attack means that users can be compromised simply by visiting a malicious website or encountering malicious plug-in content in legitimate web pages. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where browser stability is critical, such as corporate networks or secure computing environments. The exploitability of this vulnerability is further enhanced by the fact that it does not require user interaction beyond normal browsing, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns. The impact extends beyond individual user inconvenience to potentially disrupting business operations when multiple users are affected simultaneously.
The recommended mitigation strategy for CVE-2011-0984 involves immediate upgrade to Google Chrome version 9.0.597.94 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the plug-in handling flaw. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems receive updates promptly, particularly given the remote exploitability of this vulnerability. Browser administrators should also consider implementing additional security measures such as plug-in whitelisting or sandboxing mechanisms to reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current browser versions and implementing layered security approaches. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and execution through browser-based attacks, with the specific technique being related to memory corruption exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability. Regular security assessments should include verification of browser versions and plug-in configurations to prevent exploitation of similar memory safety issues.