CVE-2011-2342 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
The DOM implementation in Google Chrome before 12.0.742.91 allows remote attackers to bypass the Same Origin Policy via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/08/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2342 represents a critical security flaw in the Document Object Model implementation within Google Chrome browsers prior to version 12.0.742.91. This issue fundamentally undermines the core security principle of web browsers known as the Same Origin Policy, which serves as the primary defense mechanism protecting users from cross-site scripting attacks and unauthorized data access between different domains. The vulnerability exists within the browser's rendering engine and affects how Chrome handles DOM operations across different origins, creating potential attack vectors that could be exploited by malicious actors to circumvent essential web security boundaries.
The technical flaw manifests through unspecified vectors within the DOM handling mechanisms that allow remote attackers to perform operations that should be restricted by the Same Origin Policy. This policy typically prevents scripts from one origin from accessing resources or data from another origin to prevent malicious code from stealing sensitive information or performing unauthorized actions on behalf of users. When this protection is bypassed, attackers can potentially access cross-origin resources, manipulate DOM elements across different domains, and execute unauthorized operations that compromise user data integrity and confidentiality. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking and data exfiltration.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it affects the fundamental security model of web browsers and could enable attackers to perform unauthorized actions across different web domains. Users operating Chrome versions before 12.0.742.91 face significant risk when browsing websites that may contain malicious content or when visiting compromised sites. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to access sensitive user data, perform actions on behalf of users without their consent, and potentially establish persistent access to user sessions. The vulnerability particularly affects web applications that rely on the Same Origin Policy for security, making it a critical concern for organizations and individuals who depend on browser-based applications for sensitive operations.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control in software implementations, and relates to the broader category of privilege escalation and access control bypass issues. From an attack perspective, the vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1071.001 for application layer protocol usage and T1566 for phishing attacks that could leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious code. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected Chrome versions to mitigate the risk of exploitation, while security teams should monitor for potential indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability. The incident underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date browser software and implementing comprehensive security monitoring to detect and respond to similar vulnerabilities in web browser implementations.