CVE-2011-1114 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 9.0.597.107 does not properly handle tables, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via unknown vectors that lead to a "stale node."
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/18/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1114 represents a critical flaw in Google Chrome browser versions prior to 9.0.597.107 that stems from improper handling of table elements within the browser's rendering engine. This issue specifically affects how Chrome processes table structures and can be exploited by remote attackers to trigger system instability or potentially execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability manifests through what researchers term "stale node" conditions, indicating that the browser's internal data structures become corrupted or inconsistent when processing malformed table content. The technical nature of this flaw suggests a memory management or object lifecycle issue within Chrome's HTML parsing and rendering components, particularly when dealing with complex table hierarchies and nested elements.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as the unspecified other impacts could potentially include arbitrary code execution or privilege escalation within the browser's sandboxed environment. Attackers can craft malicious web pages containing specially formatted table structures that, when rendered by the vulnerable Chrome version, cause the browser to access memory locations that have already been freed or are otherwise invalid. This stale node condition creates a scenario where the browser's rendering engine attempts to reference objects that no longer exist in memory, leading to unpredictable behavior that can be leveraged for more severe attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic memory safety issue that has been documented in various forms across different software platforms and is categorized under CWE-119, which addresses "Improper Access to Memory Location" and specifically relates to buffer overflows, use-after-free errors, and other memory corruption vulnerabilities.
From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability aligns with several tactics outlined in the ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to initial access and execution phases. The ability to trigger denial of service through web-based attacks represents a common technique for establishing a foothold in target environments, while the potential for unspecified other impacts suggests this could be leveraged for privilege escalation or information disclosure. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability was particularly concerning because it affected a widely used browser application, making it an attractive target for mass exploitation campaigns. The remediation approach required users to upgrade to Chrome version 9.0.597.107 or later, which included patches addressing the underlying memory management issues in the browser's table processing code. Organizations needed to implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all users were protected against this vulnerability, as the remote exploit potential meant that users could be compromised simply by visiting malicious websites or viewing compromised web content. The vulnerability serves as a prime example of how seemingly mundane browser features like table rendering can contain critical security flaws that affect millions of users globally.