CVE-2011-3891 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 15.0.874.102 does not properly restrict access to internal Google V8 functions, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/24/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3891 affects Google Chrome versions prior to 15.0.874.102 and represents a critical security flaw in the V8 JavaScript engine that powers Chrome's web browser functionality. This issue stems from improper access controls within the V8 runtime environment, which is responsible for executing JavaScript code in web applications. The vulnerability specifically targets internal functions that should remain restricted to the browser's core components but are accessible to malicious web pages through crafted JavaScript code. The flaw falls under the category of improper access control as defined by CWE-284, where insufficient restrictions allow unauthorized access to protected resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows remote attackers to exploit the V8 engine's internal function access mechanisms through carefully constructed JavaScript payloads. When Chrome processes web content containing malicious scripts, the attacker can manipulate the V8 engine to access internal functions that should only be available to the browser's trusted components. This unrestricted access creates multiple potential attack vectors that could lead to system instability or more severe consequences. The vulnerability's impact ranges from denial of service conditions where the browser crashes or becomes unresponsive to potentially more serious consequences involving arbitrary code execution or information disclosure. The unspecified nature of the other potential impacts indicates that the flaw could enable additional attack vectors beyond the immediate denial of service scenario.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents significant risks to users who browse the internet with outdated Chrome versions, as it requires no user interaction to exploit and can be delivered through standard web page content. Attackers can leverage this flaw by hosting malicious web pages that trigger the V8 access control bypass, potentially compromising user systems without detection. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of keeping browser software updated, as the issue was resolved in Chrome version 15.0.874.102 through proper access control enforcement. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in their security assessments and ensure that their browser security policies include mandatory updates and patch management procedures to prevent exploitation.
The attack surface for this vulnerability aligns with the ATT&CK framework's technique T1059.007 for JavaScript execution and T1499.004 for denial of service attacks. The flaw represents a classic example of insufficient privilege separation in web browser architectures, where the boundary between trusted browser components and untrusted web content becomes compromised. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability exemplifies how JavaScript engine flaws can be leveraged to undermine browser security models, particularly when internal APIs are not properly protected from external access. The remediation approach for this vulnerability required Chrome's development team to implement stricter access controls within the V8 engine, ensuring that internal functions remain inaccessible to malicious web scripts while maintaining proper functionality for legitimate browser operations. This case study emphasizes the critical importance of proper access control mechanisms in web browser security architectures and demonstrates how seemingly minor implementation flaws can lead to significant security implications.