CVE-2011-1042 in Chrome OS
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in flimflamd in flimflam in Google Chrome OS before 0.9.130.14 Beta allows user-assisted remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) by providing the name of a hidden WiFi network that does not respond to connection attempts.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/09/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1042 represents a critical use-after-free condition within the flimflam daemon component of Google Chrome OS, specifically affecting versions prior to 0.9.130.14 Beta. This flaw resides in the flimflamd service which manages wireless network connections and is responsible for handling WiFi network discovery and connection attempts. The vulnerability manifests when the system processes network names that correspond to hidden WiFi networks which fail to respond to connection requests, creating a scenario where memory previously allocated to network connection structures is accessed after being freed.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper memory management within the network handling code where the daemon allocates memory to store network connection state information and subsequently frees this memory upon detection that a network is not responding. However, the code fails to properly validate the network name parameter before proceeding with connection attempts, allowing attackers to craft malicious network names that trigger the use-after-free condition when the system attempts to process these hidden network identifiers.
This vulnerability operates under the attack pattern described in the ATT&CK framework as a remote code execution vector through service manipulation, specifically targeting the system daemon layer where network management occurs. The attack requires user assistance, meaning that an attacker must first gain the user's attention to provide a malicious network name, typically through social engineering or by placing the device in an environment where such network names are encountered. The CWE classification for this vulnerability falls under CWE-416, which describes the use of freed memory condition, a fundamental memory safety issue that can lead to system instability and potential privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it represents a potential pathway for more serious security compromises. When the daemon crashes due to the use-after-free condition, it can result in complete network connectivity loss for the device, disrupting all wireless communications and potentially allowing attackers to maintain persistent access to the system through alternative means. The daemon crash creates a window where the system may become unresponsive to network management requests, effectively disabling the device's ability to connect to WiFi networks until the system is manually restarted.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate deployment of the patched Chrome OS version 0.9.130.14 Beta, which implements proper memory validation and ensures that network name parameters are thoroughly checked before attempting connection attempts. Additionally, administrators should implement network monitoring to detect anomalous network name patterns and consider disabling automatic connection to hidden networks where possible. The fix addresses the underlying memory management issue by ensuring proper reference counting and validation of network identifiers before memory allocation occurs. Organizations should also consider implementing network access controls that prevent automatic connection to untrusted networks and maintain regular system updates to address similar vulnerabilities in network management components.