CVE-2011-3883 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in Google Chrome before 15.0.874.102 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via vectors related to counters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/24/2021
The CVE-2011-3883 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Google Chrome versions prior to 15.0.874.102 that demonstrates the dangerous consequences of improper memory management in web browsers. This vulnerability specifically affects the browser's handling of counters within its rendering engine, creating a scenario where freed memory locations are accessed after being deallocated. The flaw operates at the intersection of memory safety and web content execution, where malicious web pages can manipulate the browser's counter implementation to trigger memory corruption. Such vulnerabilities fall under the CWE-416 category of Use After Free, which is classified as a serious weakness in software security. The attack vector leverages the browser's JavaScript engine and DOM manipulation capabilities to orchestrate the conditions necessary for exploiting the freed memory reference.
The technical execution of this vulnerability involves crafting malicious web content that triggers specific counter operations within Chrome's internal architecture. When the browser processes certain counter-related operations, it may free memory associated with counter objects while simultaneously allowing JavaScript code to continue referencing those freed locations. This creates a race condition where the memory layout becomes corrupted and potentially exploitable. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enabling arbitrary code execution, as demonstrated by the "unspecified other impact" mentioned in the description. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute malicious code within the browser's security context, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability operates in the browser's rendering pipeline where counter elements are processed, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through standard web browsing activities without requiring any special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-3883 extends significantly beyond immediate denial of service conditions, as it represents a potential pathway for advanced persistent threats targeting web browser users. Organizations and individual users operating affected Chrome versions face substantial risk exposure, as the vulnerability can be exploited through drive-by downloads and malicious websites that require no user interaction. The flaw demonstrates how seemingly benign browser features like counters can become attack surfaces when memory management is inadequate. Security professionals must consider this vulnerability in the context of the broader ATT&CK framework, particularly under the T1059.007 technique for JavaScript execution and T1190 for exploitation of remote services. The vulnerability's exploitation capability aligns with the T1078 credential access techniques, as successful exploitation could lead to privilege escalation. This type of vulnerability also contributes to the broader category of browser-based attacks that have historically been used for initial compromise in enterprise security breaches.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-3883 focus primarily on immediate patch deployment and browser version updates as recommended by Google's security advisories. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management processes to ensure all Chrome installations are updated to version 15.0.874.102 or later, where the vulnerability has been addressed through improved memory management and counter handling. Browser security hardening measures including sandboxing, content security policies, and restricted JavaScript execution can provide additional defense layers. Network-based mitigations such as web application firewalls and content filtering can help prevent access to known malicious sites that exploit this vulnerability. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of regular security assessments and penetration testing of browser environments, particularly in high-risk sectors where advanced persistent threats are likely to target browser-based attack vectors. Security monitoring should include detection of anomalous browser behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts, while incident response procedures should account for potential memory corruption exploits in browser environments.