CVE-2011-3025 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 17.0.963.56 does not properly parse H.264 data, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read) via unspecified vectors.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3025 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw within Google Chrome's H.264 video decoding implementation. This issue affects Chrome versions prior to 17.0.963.56 and stems from improper parsing of H.264 video data streams that are commonly encountered in web environments. The vulnerability manifests when the browser processes malformed or specially crafted H.264 video content, leading to memory access violations that can result in application instability and potential system compromise. From a cybersecurity perspective, this represents a significant concern as it enables remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks without requiring user interaction or specific privileges.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insufficient validation and boundary checking mechanisms within Chrome's multimedia processing pipeline. When parsing H.264 video streams, the browser fails to properly validate the structure and boundaries of the video data, allowing malicious actors to craft video content that triggers memory access beyond allocated buffers. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions, and demonstrates how multimedia processing components can become attack vectors when proper input sanitization is lacking. The flaw operates at the intersection of multimedia decoding and memory management, where the absence of adequate bounds checking in the video parser creates exploitable conditions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it can potentially enable more sophisticated attacks depending on the execution environment. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability by hosting malicious video content on web servers, which when viewed in affected Chrome versions triggers the out-of-bounds read condition. This creates a vector for both service disruption and potential information disclosure, as memory corruption can expose sensitive data or allow for further exploitation. The vulnerability's remote nature makes it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may encounter malicious content through various web-based attack surfaces, including email attachments, web forums, or compromised websites.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-3025 primarily focus on immediate software updates and browser hardening measures. The most effective remediation involves upgrading to Google Chrome version 17.0.963.56 or later, which includes patches addressing the H.264 parsing vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates across all affected systems. Additionally, browser security configurations can be enhanced through content security policy enforcement, sandboxing mechanisms, and restricted multimedia plugin execution. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and denial of service, with potential for lateral movement if exploitation leads to system compromise. Network administrators should consider implementing web filtering solutions and monitoring for unusual multimedia content access patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts.