CVE-2011-2345 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
The NPAPI implementation in Google Chrome before 12.0.742.112 does not properly handle strings, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2345 represents a critical memory safety issue within the Netscape Plugin Application Programming Interface implementation of Google Chrome browser version 12.0.742.112 and earlier. This flaw exists in the browser's handling of string data structures within its plugin architecture, creating a pathway for remote attackers to exploit memory access violations. The issue manifests as an out-of-bounds read condition that can be triggered through unspecified attack vectors, potentially leading to system instability and denial of service scenarios. The vulnerability specifically affects the NPAPI subsystem which enables browser plugins to interact with web content, making it particularly dangerous in environments where plugin functionality is commonly used.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate string boundary checking within Chrome's NPAPI implementation. When processing plugin-related data, the browser fails to properly validate string lengths and memory offsets, allowing malicious input to exceed allocated memory boundaries. This memory safety issue falls under the CWE-125 vulnerability category, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions in software implementations. The flaw demonstrates a classic buffer overflow pattern where string handling routines do not properly validate input parameters before accessing memory locations. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious plugin content or web pages that contain specially formatted strings designed to trigger the out-of-bounds memory access, causing the browser to read data from unauthorized memory regions.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2345 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it represents a potential gateway for more sophisticated attacks within the browser environment. When exploited, this vulnerability can cause Chrome to crash or become unresponsive, effectively denying users access to web browsing functionality while potentially exposing the system to further exploitation. The remote nature of the attack means that users can be compromised without direct interaction with malicious content, simply by visiting compromised websites or loading malicious plugins. From an attacker perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as it can be used to execute arbitrary code through browser-based attack vectors. The vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1203 for exploitation for privilege escalation, as successful exploitation could potentially lead to elevated privileges within the browser sandbox.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability focus primarily on immediate remediation through browser updates, as Google released version 12.0.742.112 to address the specific memory handling issues in the NPAPI implementation. System administrators should prioritize updating all affected Chrome installations to the patched version, as this represents the most effective defense against exploitation. Additional protective measures include implementing strict plugin management policies that disable unnecessary browser plugins, particularly those that rely on NPAPI functionality. Network-level defenses such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems can provide additional layers of protection by monitoring for suspicious plugin-related traffic patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing browser hardening measures that restrict plugin execution permissions and monitor for abnormal memory access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining up-to-date browser software and the risks associated with legacy plugin architectures that may contain unpatched memory safety issues.