CVE-2011-2859 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 14.0.835.163 uses incorrect permissions for non-gallery pages, which has unspecified impact and attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2859 affects Google Chrome versions prior to 14.0.835.163 and relates to improper permission handling for non-gallery pages within the browser's security model. This flaw represents a critical issue in Chrome's privilege separation mechanisms that could potentially allow malicious actors to exploit the browser's access controls. The vulnerability specifically targets the way Chrome manages permissions for different types of web pages, creating a potential pathway for unauthorized access to sensitive resources or functionality.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from Chrome's incorrect permission assignment for non-gallery pages, which violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and proper access control. When Chrome processes web content, it typically separates different types of pages into distinct security contexts with appropriate permission levels. However, in affected versions, non-gallery pages were being granted permissions that exceeded their legitimate security requirements, creating an attack surface that could be leveraged by malicious actors. This misconfiguration likely occurred in the browser's page classification and permission management subsystem, where the security boundaries between different content types were not properly enforced.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it could enable attackers to perform actions that should be restricted to gallery pages or other privileged contexts. Attackers could potentially exploit this flaw to access local resources, manipulate browser functionality, or execute unauthorized operations that would normally be blocked by Chrome's security model. The unspecified nature of the impact and attack vectors suggests that the vulnerability could be leveraged in multiple ways depending on the specific browser configuration and user environment. This type of permission-related vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control issues where an attacker can gain access to resources or functionality beyond their intended permissions.
The attack surface for this vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects core browser functionality that users interact with daily. An attacker could potentially craft malicious web pages that exploit the incorrect permission handling to perform unauthorized actions, such as accessing local files, manipulating browser settings, or intercepting user data. This vulnerability would be particularly dangerous in environments where users have elevated privileges or when combined with other browser exploits that could establish a foothold for more sophisticated attacks. The attack vectors would likely involve social engineering campaigns where users are tricked into visiting malicious websites that exploit this permission flaw.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-2859 primarily focus on updating to Chrome version 14.0.835.163 or later, which contains the necessary security patches to correct the permission handling implementation. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all Chrome installations are updated promptly, as this vulnerability could be actively exploited in the wild. Additionally, browser security configurations should be reviewed to ensure that unnecessary permissions are not granted to web pages, and users should be educated about the importance of visiting only trusted websites. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability would be categorized under privilege escalation techniques, potentially enabling later stages of attack such as persistence or defense evasion. The remediation process should include monitoring for any signs of exploitation attempts and implementing browser hardening measures that restrict unnecessary functionality for web content.