CVE-2011-3065 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Skia, as used in Google Chrome before 18.0.1025.142, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly have unspecified other impact via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3065 resides within Skia, a 2D graphics library that serves as a core component of Google Chrome's rendering engine prior to version 18.0.1025.142. This graphics library is responsible for handling all visual elements including text rendering, shapes, images, and complex graphical operations within the browser environment. The flaw manifests in how Skia processes certain graphical inputs, creating a pathway for remote attackers to exploit memory corruption issues that can lead to system instability and potential security breaches.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within Skia's graphics processing routines. Attackers can craft malicious web content that, when rendered by Chrome, triggers specific code paths in the graphics library that result in memory corruption. These conditions can occur during the processing of malformed graphics data, particularly when handling complex vector graphics, image manipulations, or specific combinations of rendering operations. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service as it may potentially allow for arbitrary code execution, making it particularly dangerous in a browser context where users frequently encounter untrusted content.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk to users of older Chrome versions as it enables remote code execution through web-based attacks. The attack surface is broad since any webpage could potentially contain malicious graphics content that triggers the vulnerability when rendered. The memory corruption issues can lead to browser crashes, system instability, and in more severe cases, allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on the victim's machine. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution, as the vulnerability enables attackers to execute malicious code through compromised browser processes.
The security implications of CVE-2011-3065 demonstrate the critical importance of graphics library security in modern browsers, as these components often handle untrusted input from multiple sources. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-125 as Out-of-bounds Read and potentially CWE-787 as Out-of-bounds Write, reflecting the memory corruption aspects of the flaw. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected Chrome versions and implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Browser vendors should maintain robust input validation mechanisms and conduct regular security assessments of their graphics libraries to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future releases. The incident underscores the necessity of keeping browser components updated and maintaining comprehensive security hygiene practices to protect against sophisticated remote exploitation techniques.