CVE-2011-2864 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 14.0.835.163 does not properly handle Tibetan characters, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2864 represents a critical memory safety issue within Google Chrome browser versions prior to 14.0.835.163. This flaw specifically manifests when the browser processes Tibetan characters, which are part of the Unicode standard and represent a complex writing system used in Tibet and parts of India. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of these characters during the rendering and processing phases of the browser's engine, creating a potential attack surface for malicious actors seeking to exploit memory access violations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of out-of-bounds read conditions, which is classified as CWE-125 in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog. This particular flaw occurs when Chrome's rendering engine attempts to process Tibetan character sequences without proper bounds checking, leading to memory access beyond allocated buffer boundaries. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that the vulnerability can be triggered through various means including web pages, embedded content, or even crafted HTML documents that contain specially formatted Tibetan text. This type of memory corruption vulnerability represents a fundamental flaw in the browser's input validation and memory management mechanisms, potentially allowing attackers to read sensitive memory locations or cause unexpected application behavior.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2864 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities can serve as precursors to more severe exploits. When remote attackers can trigger such memory access violations, they may be able to extract information from memory, potentially leading to information disclosure or even arbitrary code execution in certain scenarios. The vulnerability affects a significant user base since Tibetan characters are used in legitimate web content, making the attack surface broader than initially apparent. Browser-based attacks leveraging this vulnerability could be delivered through malicious websites, email attachments, or compromised web services that inadvertently include Tibetan character data in their content.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate browser updates to versions 14.0.835.163 and later, which contain the necessary patches to properly handle Tibetan character sequences. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management protocols to ensure all Chrome installations are updated promptly. Additionally, network administrators can deploy web filtering solutions that block access to known malicious domains or implement browser security extensions that provide additional layers of protection. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and memory safety practices in browser development, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.003 for execution through web-based attack vectors. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unusual memory access patterns or browser crashes that might indicate exploitation attempts, as these incidents can serve as early warning signs of targeted attacks.