CVE-2011-3110 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
The PDF functionality in Google Chrome before 19.0.1084.52 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via vectors that trigger out-of-bounds write operations.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3110 represents a critical security flaw within Google Chrome's PDF rendering functionality that existed prior to version 19.0.1084.52. This issue specifically targets the browser's handling of PDF documents and demonstrates how multimedia and document processing components can become attack vectors for remote exploitation. The vulnerability resides in the way Chrome processes PDF files, particularly when encountering malformed or specially crafted PDF content that triggers unexpected behavior in the underlying rendering engine.
Technical analysis reveals that the flaw manifests as an out-of-bounds write operation within the PDF processing code, which occurs when Chrome attempts to parse and render certain PDF elements. This type of vulnerability typically arises from insufficient input validation and memory management within the PDF library implementation. The out-of-bounds write condition allows attackers to write data beyond the allocated memory boundaries, potentially corrupting adjacent memory regions and causing unpredictable behavior. Such memory corruption vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they can lead to arbitrary code execution when combined with other exploit techniques, though the current vulnerability description suggests a denial of service impact as the primary concern.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks. When an attacker successfully triggers this out-of-bounds write condition, the consequences can range from complete browser crashes and denial of service conditions to more severe outcomes including system instability or potential code execution. The remote nature of the attack means that users can be compromised simply by viewing a malicious PDF document, either through web browsing or email attachments. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may inadvertently encounter compromised content, and it aligns with the attack patterns documented in the attack technique matrix under the MITRE ATT&CK framework for privilege escalation and code execution.
The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-787, which describes out-of-bounds write conditions in software systems. This weakness specifically relates to improper bounds checking during array or buffer operations, making it a prime candidate for exploitation through crafted inputs. The PDF functionality in web browsers presents unique challenges since PDF documents can contain complex structures and embedded code that must be processed safely. The attack surface expands significantly when considering that PDFs can be embedded within web pages, making it difficult for users to distinguish between benign and malicious content. Organizations implementing security controls should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader browser security posture, particularly in environments where users access untrusted web content. The remediation approach requires immediate patching of affected Chrome versions, but also necessitates ongoing monitoring and defense-in-depth strategies to protect against similar vulnerabilities in other browser components and third-party libraries.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of Chrome updates to version 19.0.1084.52 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should implement browser hardening measures including sandboxing controls, content filtering, and restricted PDF viewing capabilities. Network security controls such as web proxies and content filtering systems can provide additional protection layers by scanning and blocking suspicious PDF content before it reaches end users. Regular security assessments of browser configurations and ongoing monitoring for similar vulnerabilities in other components of the browser ecosystem should be part of comprehensive security programs. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of keeping all browser components updated, as PDF rendering libraries and other multimedia processing components often contain complex code that can introduce security risks when not properly maintained and patched.