CVE-2011-1121 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in Google Chrome before 9.0.597.107 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via vectors involving a TEXTAREA element.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1121 represents a critical integer overflow flaw discovered in Google Chrome versions prior to 9.0.597.107. This vulnerability specifically affects the browser's handling of TEXTAREA elements and demonstrates how seemingly benign HTML elements can be exploited to create significant security impacts. The integer overflow occurs within Chrome's rendering engine when processing certain TEXTAREA elements, creating a condition where numeric values exceed their maximum representable range and wrap around to negative values or zero. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-190 category of Integer Overflow or Wraparound, which is a well-documented weakness in software systems where arithmetic operations produce results that exceed the capacity of the underlying data type. The flaw enables attackers to manipulate the browser's memory management and execution flow through carefully crafted web content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as the integer overflow can potentially lead to arbitrary code execution or other unspecified security consequences. When Chrome processes a maliciously crafted TEXTAREA element, the overflow condition can corrupt memory structures, overwrite critical variables, or manipulate pointer values within the browser's memory space. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by hosting malicious web pages that contain specially constructed TEXTAREA elements designed to trigger the integer overflow during rendering. The browser's JavaScript engine and HTML parser interact with the vulnerable code path, making it possible for remote attackers to execute malicious code on the target system. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, where adversaries use web-based attacks to execute malicious code in the context of a victim's browser. The attack surface is particularly concerning because TEXTAREA elements are common HTML components that appear frequently in web applications, making the exploitation vector highly accessible.
The remediation for this vulnerability required Google to implement proper bounds checking and integer overflow protection mechanisms within Chrome's rendering engine. The fix involved updating the browser's handling of TEXTAREA element dimensions and memory allocation calculations to prevent integer wraparound conditions. Security researchers and browser vendors typically recommend immediate patching of such vulnerabilities, as the integer overflow in Chrome's implementation created a pathway for remote code execution. Organizations should ensure that all Chrome installations are updated to version 9.0.597.107 or later, as this version includes the necessary protections against the integer overflow condition. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security updates and the need for robust input validation in web browsers. Browser vendors must implement comprehensive testing procedures that include fuzzing and boundary condition testing to identify similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in the wild. This case study demonstrates how vulnerabilities in core browser components can have cascading effects on overall system security and underscores the necessity of maintaining up-to-date software versions to protect against known exploits.