CVE-2011-2634 in Web Browser
Summary
by MITRE
Opera before 11.10 allows remote attackers to hijack (1) searches and (2) customizations via unspecified third party applications.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2634 affects Opera web browsers version 11.10 and earlier, presenting a significant security risk that enables remote attackers to manipulate critical browser functionalities through third-party applications. This issue stems from insufficient validation mechanisms within the browser's architecture that fail to properly authenticate and verify the legitimacy of external applications attempting to interact with core browser components. The vulnerability specifically targets two critical areas of browser operation: search functionality and customization features, which are fundamental to user experience and browser configuration management.
The technical flaw manifests through unspecified third-party applications that can exploit weaknesses in Opera's inter-application communication protocols. These applications are able to gain unauthorized access to browser search mechanisms and customization settings, potentially allowing attackers to redirect user searches to malicious endpoints or modify browser behavior in ways that compromise user security and privacy. The vulnerability represents a failure in the browser's access control mechanisms, where proper validation of application origins and permissions is not adequately enforced. This weakness falls under the broader category of privilege escalation vulnerabilities and can be classified as a CWE-284: Improper Access Control, specifically relating to insufficient authorization checks for browser core functionalities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple user inconvenience to potentially serious security consequences. Attackers could redirect searches to phishing sites, inject malicious content into search results, or modify browser settings to persistently compromise user environments. The ability to hijack customizations means that attackers could alter browser configurations to disable security features, install unwanted extensions, or redirect users to malicious websites without their knowledge. This vulnerability could be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where browser security is critical for protecting sensitive data and maintaining secure network access. The attack surface is amplified by the fact that third-party applications often have elevated privileges and may not be subject to the same security scrutiny as first-party browser components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-2634 require immediate browser version updates to Opera 11.10 or later, which contain patches addressing the improper access control issues. Organizations should implement comprehensive application whitelisting policies to restrict which third-party applications can interact with browser components. Network administrators should monitor for suspicious application behavior and implement security controls to prevent unauthorized modifications to browser configurations. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date browser software and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that include application control measures. Security teams should also consider implementing browser hardening techniques and regularly auditing browser configurations to detect unauthorized modifications that could indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190: Exploit Public-Facing Application, highlighting the need for proper input validation and access control measures in web browser security architectures.