CVE-2011-2846 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in Google Chrome before 14.0.835.163 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via vectors related to unload event handling.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/23/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2846 represents a critical use-after-free condition affecting Google Chrome versions prior to 14.0.835.163. This flaw resides in the browser's handling of unload event processing, creating a scenario where memory previously deallocated by the application is accessed again, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability. The vulnerability specifically manifests during the browser's cleanup process when pages are unloaded, making it particularly dangerous in web browsing environments where users frequently navigate between sites or encounter malicious content.
The technical implementation of this use-after-free vulnerability involves improper memory management during the unload event handler execution. When a web page triggers an unload event, Chrome's JavaScript engine processes cleanup operations that may involve accessing objects that have already been freed from memory. This memory corruption occurs because the application fails to properly validate object references before accessing them, allowing attackers to manipulate the memory state through carefully crafted malicious web content. The vulnerability falls under CWE-416 which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions, where a pointer is used after the memory it points to has been freed, creating opportunities for exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enable remote code execution and system compromise. Attackers can leverage this weakness by hosting malicious web content that triggers the vulnerable code path during page navigation or tab closing operations. When victims browse to these malicious sites, the browser's memory management becomes corrupted, potentially allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the browser process. This represents a significant threat to user security, as the vulnerability can be exploited through standard web browsing activities without requiring any special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a compromised website.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-2846 primarily focus on immediate browser updates to versions that contain the necessary security patches. Google released Chrome version 14.0.835.163 which addressed this vulnerability through improved memory management and enhanced validation of object references during unload event processing. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all browser installations are updated promptly. Additionally, security practitioners can employ browser hardening techniques such as enabling sandboxing features, restricting JavaScript execution in sensitive contexts, and implementing content security policies to limit the potential impact of exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and conducting regular security audits of browser components, particularly those handling asynchronous events and memory management operations. This case demonstrates how seemingly routine browser functionality can become a vector for sophisticated attacks when proper memory management practices are not followed, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting languages and T1211 for exploitation for defense evasion through memory corruption attacks.