CVE-2011-2798 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 13.0.782.107 does not properly restrict access to internal schemes, which allows remote attackers to have an unspecified impact via a crafted web site.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2798 affects Google Chrome versions prior to 13.0.782.107 and represents a critical access control flaw in the browser's handling of internal schemes. This weakness stems from insufficient restrictions on how Chrome processes and validates internal protocol handlers, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the browser's security boundaries. The issue manifests when Chrome fails to properly enforce its internal scheme restrictions, allowing remote attackers to craft malicious websites that can manipulate the browser's internal mechanisms. The vulnerability operates at the core of Chrome's security model, specifically targeting how the browser handles internal schemes such as chrome://, chrome-extension://, and similar privileged protocols that should be restricted to legitimate browser components. This flaw essentially undermines the isolation mechanisms that separate user-facing web content from the browser's internal operations, creating potential attack vectors that could be leveraged for privilege escalation or information disclosure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves Chrome's failure to properly validate the origins and contexts from which internal scheme requests originate. When a malicious website attempts to access internal browser resources through crafted URLs or JavaScript calls, the browser's validation logic does not adequately verify that such access requests are legitimate. This allows attackers to potentially execute code within the context of privileged browser components or access sensitive internal data that should remain isolated from regular web content. The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it can enable attackers to manipulate browser internals, potentially leading to full system compromise when combined with other exploitation techniques. The flaw exists in Chrome's URL handling and scheme validation subsystem, where the security boundaries between user content and browser internals are not properly enforced, creating a dangerous attack surface that can be exploited through web-based vectors.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to users who browse the internet with affected Chrome versions, as it requires no special privileges or user interaction to exploit. Attackers can simply craft malicious websites that contain embedded code designed to trigger the vulnerability, potentially leading to unauthorized access to browser internals, data leakage, or system compromise. The unspecified impact mentioned in the CVE description reflects the broad range of potential consequences that could arise from this access control failure, including but not limited to information disclosure, privilege escalation, or denial of service conditions. Organizations relying on Chrome for browser security must understand that this vulnerability can be exploited through standard web browsing activities, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may inadvertently visit malicious sites. The risk is amplified because the exploitation occurs at the browser level, potentially bypassing traditional network security controls and operating system protections.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-2798 primarily focus on immediate remediation through browser updates, as Google released version 13.0.782.107 to address the vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management processes to ensure all affected Chrome installations are updated promptly. Additionally, network administrators can deploy web filtering solutions and content security policies to restrict access to potentially malicious sites, though this approach provides only partial protection as the vulnerability can be exploited through social engineering or compromised legitimate sites. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious URL patterns and attempts to access internal schemes from external origins. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreters, as attackers may leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious code within the browser environment. Organizations should also consider implementing browser hardening measures such as disabling unnecessary browser features, restricting JavaScript execution, and employing sandboxing technologies to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts.