CVE-2011-3072 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 18.0.1025.151 allows remote attackers to bypass the Same Origin Policy via vectors related to pop-up windows.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3072 represents a critical security flaw in Google Chrome browsers prior to version 18.0.1025.151 that fundamentally undermines the browser's core security architecture. This issue specifically targets the Same Origin Policy implementation, which serves as one of the most fundamental security mechanisms in web browsers designed to prevent unauthorized access between different websites. The Same Origin Policy restricts how documents or scripts loaded from one origin can interact with resources from another origin, creating essential boundaries that protect user data and prevent cross-site scripting attacks.
The technical flaw manifests through improper handling of pop-up windows that allows malicious actors to exploit the browser's window management system to bypass these critical security boundaries. When Chrome processes pop-up windows, the vulnerability enables attackers to manipulate the security context of these windows, potentially allowing them to access or manipulate content from different origins than intended. This occurs because the browser fails to properly validate the origin of pop-up windows, creating a pathway for cross-origin information leakage and unauthorized access to sensitive data that should be isolated between different websites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching, as it provides remote attackers with the capability to perform unauthorized cross-site operations that could lead to data theft, session hijacking, and privilege escalation. Attackers can exploit this weakness to access cookies, local storage, and other sensitive information from different domains, effectively breaking down the security isolation that web browsers maintain between different websites. This vulnerability particularly affects users who visit malicious websites that attempt to open pop-ups containing exploit code, making it a significant threat to web application security and user privacy. The vulnerability can be leveraged to perform actions such as stealing authentication tokens, accessing personal information, and conducting more sophisticated attacks that require bypassing normal security restrictions.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control mechanisms, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1056.001 for Input Injection and T1071.001 for Application Layer Protocol. The flaw represents a classic example of a privilege escalation vulnerability within the browser's security model, where an attacker can gain access to resources beyond their intended scope. Organizations and individuals should immediately update to Chrome version 18.0.1025.151 or later to remediate this vulnerability, as the security implications extend beyond simple data exposure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks. Additional mitigations include implementing strict content security policies, enabling sandboxing features, and conducting regular security audits of web applications that may be vulnerable to such cross-origin attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date browser software and highlights the ongoing need for robust security testing of web browser implementations to prevent similar issues from emerging in future releases.