CVE-2011-3873 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 14.0.835.202 does not properly implement shader translation, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/23/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3873 represents a critical security flaw in Google Chrome browsers prior to version 14.0.835.202, specifically within the graphics processing component of the browser. This issue stems from improper implementation of shader translation mechanisms that are fundamental to rendering graphics content in web applications. The vulnerability resides in the browser's handling of WebGL graphics processing, where shader programs are compiled and executed within the graphics processing unit. When Chrome fails to properly translate shader code from high-level graphics languages into low-level GPU instructions, it creates exploitable memory corruption conditions that can be leveraged by malicious actors.
The technical implementation flaw occurs in the graphics subsystem where Chrome's WebGL implementation does not adequately validate or sanitize shader code before execution. This deficiency allows attackers to craft specially crafted WebGL content that triggers memory corruption during the shader compilation or execution phases. The vulnerability manifests as a memory corruption issue that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Chrome process or cause a denial of service through process termination. The flaw operates at the intersection of graphics processing and memory management, where improper bounds checking and memory allocation during shader translation creates opportunities for exploitation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to users of older Chrome versions as it enables remote code execution without user interaction, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios. The exploitability of this vulnerability aligns with attack techniques described in the attack tree framework where an attacker can leverage web-based graphics content to compromise system integrity. The memory corruption nature of the vulnerability means that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, as the attacker gains the ability to execute arbitrary code within the browser's security context. This represents a critical failure in the browser's security architecture and demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in graphics processing components.
Organizations and users should immediately update to Chrome version 14.0.835.202 or later to remediate this vulnerability, as no reliable workarounds exist for the underlying shader translation implementation. The fix implemented by Google addresses the memory corruption issues in the WebGL graphics processing pipeline by improving bounds checking and memory management during shader compilation. This vulnerability also highlights the broader category of graphics-related security issues that fall under CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of array indices, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions. The remediation strategy focuses on strengthening the validation mechanisms in the graphics processing pipeline to prevent malicious shader code from causing memory corruption, thereby protecting against the exploitation patterns commonly associated with the attack technique of code injection and memory corruption.