CVE-2011-2627 in Web Browser
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the DOM implementation in Opera before 11.50 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via unknown content on a web page, as demonstrated by live.com.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2627 represents a critical flaw within the Document Object Model implementation of Opera web browser versions prior to 11.50. This issue falls under the category of unspecified vulnerability, indicating that the specific technical mechanism enabling the exploit was not fully disclosed in the initial reporting. The vulnerability specifically targets the DOM parsing and rendering components that process web page content, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through normal web browsing activities. The exploit demonstrates its potential impact by showing successful execution against live.com, a major web service that serves millions of users, indicating that this vulnerability could affect widely used websites and applications. The vulnerability's classification as a denial of service condition means that successful exploitation results in complete application crash rather than data compromise or unauthorized access.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of malformed or specially crafted content within web pages, particularly when the browser attempts to parse and render DOM elements. The DOM implementation in Opera's affected versions contained a flaw that did not adequately validate input data structures or handle edge cases during content processing. This allows an attacker to craft malicious web content that when rendered by the browser triggers an exception or memory corruption within the DOM parser. The vulnerability likely involves memory management issues or buffer overflows that occur during the parsing of specific HTML or JavaScript constructs, causing the browser process to terminate unexpectedly. According to CWE categorization, this vulnerability would be classified under CWE-125, which deals with out-of-bounds read conditions, or potentially CWE-119, dealing with memory corruption issues. The attack vector operates entirely through web content delivery, making it accessible to attackers without requiring any special privileges or local system access.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2627 extends beyond simple application instability to potentially compromise user security and system availability. When exploited, this vulnerability forces users to experience browser crashes that can interrupt their web browsing sessions and potentially expose them to additional risks during the crash recovery process. The fact that it was demonstrated against live.com indicates that the attack could be executed in real-world scenarios against legitimate web services, making it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where users regularly access such services. Organizations using older versions of Opera would face significant risk as this vulnerability could be leveraged by threat actors to disrupt user productivity or as part of larger attack campaigns. The vulnerability also represents a potential stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, as browser crashes can sometimes be used to facilitate additional exploitation techniques or to create cover for more advanced malicious activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-2627 primarily focus on immediate browser updates and security hardening measures. The most effective approach involves upgrading to Opera version 11.50 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the DOM implementation flaw. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management policies to ensure all browser installations are updated promptly, particularly in enterprise environments where multiple users access web content. Additional protective measures include implementing web content filtering solutions that can identify and block suspicious content patterns, deploying browser security extensions that enhance DOM validation, and establishing user education programs to raise awareness about potentially malicious web content. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect unusual browser crash patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving privilege escalation and denial of service through application-level exploits, making it a critical target for both defensive and offensive security teams. The vulnerability's impact on user experience and system stability necessitates proactive remediation rather than reactive response measures.