CVE-2011-1812 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 12.0.742.91 allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions via vectors related to extensions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/08/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1812 represents a significant security flaw in Google Chrome browsers prior to version 12.0.742.91, specifically concerning the browser's extension handling mechanisms and access control policies. This vulnerability falls under the category of privilege escalation and access control bypass, where malicious actors could exploit weaknesses in the extension security model to gain unauthorized access to restricted resources or functionalities within the browser environment. The issue stems from insufficient validation and enforcement of security boundaries between different extension contexts and the core browser components, creating potential attack vectors that could be leveraged by remote adversaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves flaws in Chrome's extension sandboxing mechanisms and cross-extension communication controls. When extensions are loaded within the browser, they operate under specific security contexts that should prevent them from accessing other extensions or browser components without proper authorization. However, the vulnerability allowed attackers to craft malicious extensions or manipulate existing ones to bypass these security boundaries. This typically involved exploiting improper handling of extension permissions, insecure inter-extension communication channels, or weaknesses in the extension installation and update processes that could be manipulated to escalate privileges or access restricted data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it could enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including data exfiltration, surveillance, and system compromise. An attacker could potentially create or modify browser extensions to access sensitive user data, monitor browsing activities, manipulate web content, or even gain access to other browser extensions that might contain additional sensitive information or capabilities. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries could exploit this vulnerability without requiring local system access, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently download and install browser extensions from untrusted sources.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-1812 primarily focus on immediate browser updates to the patched version 12.0.742.91 or later, which includes enhanced extension security controls and improved sandboxing mechanisms. Organizations should implement strict extension management policies, limiting the installation of third-party extensions and regularly auditing installed extensions for suspicious behavior. Security practitioners should also consider implementing browser hardening measures such as disabling unnecessary extension permissions, using extension whitelisting mechanisms, and monitoring browser extension activity through security tools. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and may be relevant to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms through browser extensions. Organizations should also ensure proper network monitoring to detect unusual extension behavior and maintain up-to-date threat intelligence regarding malicious browser extensions that could exploit similar vulnerabilities.