CVE-2011-1448 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 11.0.696.57 does not properly perform height calculations, 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-2011-1448 affects Google Chrome versions prior to 11.0.696.57 and represents a critical issue in the browser's handling of height calculations within its rendering engine. This flaw manifests when the browser fails to properly manage memory references during dynamic content rendering, creating conditions where stale pointers can persist in memory. The technical nature of this vulnerability places it within the domain of memory safety issues that can lead to unpredictable behavior in software applications. The improper height calculation mechanism creates a scenario where memory locations that should have been deallocated continue to hold references, potentially leading to memory corruption or system instability. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely without requiring user interaction, making it a significant concern for web-based attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors. When stale pointers remain active in memory, attackers can exploit this condition to manipulate memory contents or redirect execution flow within the browser process. The unspecified other impacts mentioned in the vulnerability description suggest that this flaw could potentially allow for arbitrary code execution or privilege escalation depending on how the stale pointer conditions are leveraged. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can craft malicious web pages that trigger the memory corruption when users visit compromised websites, making it particularly dangerous in the context of web browsing. This weakness directly relates to CWE-462, which addresses duplicate object access, and represents a classic case of improper memory management that can lead to memory corruption vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-1448 primarily focus on immediate browser updates to versions that contain patches addressing the height calculation and memory management issues. Users should ensure they are running Chrome version 11.0.696.57 or later, which includes fixes for the underlying memory handling mechanisms that were exploited in this vulnerability. Organizations should implement automated update policies to ensure all browser installations remain current with security patches. Additionally, network security controls such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems can help reduce exposure by blocking access to known malicious domains. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1059, which involves executing malicious code through web browsers, and T1070, which covers the use of system scripts to manipulate memory. Security monitoring should focus on detecting anomalous browser memory usage patterns or unexpected process behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and penetration testing of web applications can help identify potential exploitation vectors that might leverage this type of memory corruption vulnerability in the broader attack landscape.