CVE-2011-1447 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 11.0.696.57 does not properly handle drop-down lists, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via unknown vectors that lead to a "stale pointer."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/05/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1447 affects Google Chrome versions prior to 11.0.696.57 and relates to improper handling of drop-down lists within the browser's user interface. This issue represents a classic memory safety vulnerability that occurs when the browser fails to properly manage memory references during dynamic UI element interactions. The flaw specifically manifests when Chrome processes drop-down list elements, which are commonly used in web forms, navigation menus, and various interactive components throughout web applications.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate pointer management within Chrome's rendering engine when dealing with dynamic drop-down list elements. When a drop-down list is manipulated or removed from the DOM while still being referenced by the browser's internal structures, a stale pointer situation occurs. This stale pointer refers to a memory address that was previously valid but is no longer pointing to legitimate data, creating a condition where subsequent operations may attempt to access invalid memory locations. Such memory corruption can lead to unpredictable behavior and system instability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions. While remote attackers can trigger a denial of service by causing Chrome to crash or become unresponsive through malformed drop-down list interactions, the potential for more severe consequences exists. The unspecified other impacts mentioned in the CVE description suggest that this vulnerability could potentially be exploited to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges, though such exploitation would require additional attack vectors or conditions. The stale pointer condition creates a memory corruption vulnerability that aligns with common attack patterns described in the attack tree model, where initial memory corruption leads to more sophisticated exploitation techniques.
This vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-119, which addresses "Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer," and CWE-476, which covers "NULL Pointer Dereference." The issue falls under the broader category of memory safety vulnerabilities that have historically been exploited in web browsers to gain unauthorized access or execute malicious code. The attack surface for this vulnerability is significant since drop-down lists are ubiquitous in web applications, making this a prevalent vector for exploitation across various web-based environments.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2011-1447 requires immediate patching of affected Chrome installations to version 11.0.696.57 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for proper pointer management in drop-down list handling. Organizations should implement comprehensive browser update policies to ensure all systems are protected against this and similar vulnerabilities. Network administrators should consider implementing browser security policies that restrict access to untrusted websites until updates are deployed, as the vulnerability could potentially be leveraged in targeted attacks against specific user populations. The fix implemented by Google likely involved strengthening memory management routines for dynamic UI elements and implementing proper pointer invalidation mechanisms when drop-down lists are modified or removed from the browser's rendering context.