CVE-2011-2823 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in Google Chrome before 13.0.782.215 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via vectors involving a line box.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2823 represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Google Chrome browser versions prior to 13.0.782.215. This type of vulnerability occurs when a program continues to reference memory that has already been freed, creating potential exploitation vectors for malicious actors. The specific conditions that trigger this vulnerability involve the handling of line box elements within the browser's rendering engine, which is responsible for layout and display of web content. The issue manifests when Chrome processes certain web pages containing maliciously crafted content that manipulates the memory management of the browser's internal rendering components. This particular vulnerability falls under the CWE-416 category of Use After Free, which is classified as a serious weakness that can lead to arbitrary code execution or system compromise. The attack vector requires remote exploitation, meaning that an attacker can trigger the vulnerability simply by hosting malicious content on a web server and persuading a user to visit the page.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the browser's handling of line box objects during the rendering process of web documents. When Chrome encounters specific combinations of HTML and CSS that cause it to create and subsequently free line box memory structures, an attacker can manipulate the timing and conditions to cause the application to reference already freed memory locations. This memory corruption can result in unpredictable behavior including crashes, which constitutes a denial of service condition, but more critically can potentially allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the browser. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the browser's memory management system where proper synchronization and validation of object lifecycles are not adequately enforced during the rendering pipeline. The exploitation requires precise control over the browser's rendering engine and understanding of the specific memory layout patterns that lead to successful exploitation.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2823 extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enable full system compromise. When successfully exploited, this vulnerability can allow attackers to execute malicious code on the victim's machine, potentially leading to complete system takeover. The vulnerability affects all versions of Chrome prior to 13.0.782.215, making it particularly dangerous as it impacted a significant portion of the browser user base during that time period. The attack surface is broad since any web page containing malicious content can potentially trigger the vulnerability, making it difficult for users to protect themselves through simple browsing habits. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as exploitation often involves the execution of malicious scripts that leverage the use-after-free condition to gain unauthorized access. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because Chrome's extensive use of hardware acceleration and complex rendering engines creates multiple potential attack vectors that can be leveraged by sophisticated attackers.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-2823 primarily focus on immediate software updates to the latest Chrome versions that contain the necessary memory management fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management policies to ensure all systems are updated promptly when security patches become available. Browser vendors and security teams should also consider implementing additional security measures such as address space layout randomization and stack canaries to make exploitation more difficult even if vulnerabilities remain unpatched. Users should be educated about the risks of visiting untrusted websites and the importance of keeping their browsers updated. The vulnerability underscores the importance of regular security audits and code reviews of browser rendering engines, particularly focusing on memory management and object lifecycle handling. Security researchers and organizations should monitor vulnerability databases such as the National Vulnerability Database and maintain awareness of similar issues that may affect other browser implementations or web rendering components. Additionally, network-based intrusion detection systems should be configured to detect and block known malicious content that may exploit this or similar vulnerabilities.