CVE-2011-1413 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 10.0.648.127 on Linux does not properly mitigate an unspecified flaw in an X server, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via vectors involving long messages.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/19/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1413 affects Google Chrome versions prior to 10.0.648.127 on Linux operating systems, representing a critical security flaw in the browser's interaction with the X Window System. This issue stems from inadequate handling of specific X server communication protocols that govern graphical user interface operations in Unix-like environments. The vulnerability specifically targets an unspecified flaw within the X server implementation that Chrome relies upon for rendering graphical content and managing window operations. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious X protocol messages that exceed normal operational parameters, leading to application instability and system-wide denial of service conditions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of X server communication channels that Chrome uses for graphical rendering and window management operations. When Chrome processes malformed or excessively long X protocol messages, the browser's X server interaction layer fails to properly validate or limit message length parameters, resulting in memory corruption or resource exhaustion conditions. This flaw falls under the category of improper input validation and insufficient error handling within the X11 protocol implementation layer. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-122, which addresses buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-129, concerning improper validation of array indices, as the system fails to properly validate message boundaries and length constraints. The attack vector involves sending specially crafted X protocol messages that trigger memory allocation failures or invalid memory access patterns within Chrome's X server integration components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially compromise entire desktop environments on affected Linux systems. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause Chrome to crash repeatedly, forcing users to restart the browser and potentially disrupting other applications that depend on the same X server infrastructure. This denial of service condition affects not only individual users but can also impact system administrators managing multiple user environments, as the instability may propagate to other graphical applications or system services that share the same X server instance. The vulnerability represents a significant risk in enterprise environments where Chrome is widely deployed, as it can be leveraged to disrupt productivity or serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1499 category for network denial of service attacks, specifically targeting application availability through protocol manipulation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-1413 primarily involve immediate patch deployment to update Chrome to version 10.0.648.127 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for X server communication handling. System administrators should also implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual X server activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on message length anomalies and connection frequency patterns. Network segmentation strategies can help limit the potential impact by isolating affected systems from critical infrastructure, while application whitelisting policies can prevent unauthorized execution of potentially vulnerable browser versions. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing X server access controls and privilege separation mechanisms to limit the damage scope if exploitation occurs, as the vulnerability's impact is directly tied to the underlying X server implementation and its interaction with the browser's graphical subsystem. Regular security assessments of graphical environments and X server configurations should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other components of the desktop infrastructure.