CVE-2011-3900 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google V8, as used in Google Chrome before 15.0.874.121, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via unknown vectors that trigger an out-of-bounds write operation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3900 represents a critical security flaw within Google V8 JavaScript engine, which serves as the core execution environment for Google Chrome browser and other applications. This vulnerability specifically affects versions of Chrome prior to 15.0.874.121, where the V8 engine fails to properly validate memory operations during JavaScript execution. The flaw manifests as an out-of-bounds write condition that can be triggered through carefully crafted malicious JavaScript code, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate memory locations beyond the intended boundaries of allocated buffers.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it squarely within the category of memory corruption flaws, which are classified under CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write in the Common Weakness Enumeration system. This type of vulnerability occurs when a program writes data to a memory location that is outside the bounds of a buffer that was allocated for that data. In the context of JavaScript engines like V8, such flaws typically arise from insufficient bounds checking during array operations, string manipulations, or object property assignments. The out-of-bounds write operation can lead to unpredictable behavior including memory corruption, application crashes, or in more severe cases, arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-3900 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as indicated by the description's mention of "unspecified other impact." Attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on affected systems by leveraging the memory corruption to overwrite critical program structures or jump to malicious code. This aligns with the attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under techniques such as T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1070 Indicator Removal on Host. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers could deliver malicious payloads through web pages, making it particularly dangerous in browser environments where users frequently visit untrusted websites.
The remediation for this vulnerability requires immediate updating of Google Chrome to version 15.0.874.121 or later, which incorporates fixes for the memory handling issues within the V8 engine. System administrators should prioritize this update across all affected systems, particularly those running older versions of Chrome or applications that depend on the V8 engine. Additional protective measures include implementing web application firewalls, enabling sandboxing features, and deploying content security policies to limit the potential impact of exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider monitoring for suspicious network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts and maintain up-to-date threat intelligence to identify related attack vectors. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of keeping JavaScript engines and browser components updated, as these components often serve as attack surfaces for sophisticated exploitation techniques.