CVE-2011-3909 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
The Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) implementation in Google Chrome before 16.0.912.63 on 64-bit platforms does not properly manage property arrays, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3909 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Google Chrome's CSS rendering engine that affected versions prior to 16.0.912.63 on 64-bit systems. This issue stems from improper handling of property arrays within the browser's cascading style sheets implementation, creating a potential pathway for remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks through carefully crafted web content. The flaw specifically targets the memory management mechanisms that Chrome employs when processing CSS properties, particularly in the context of 64-bit platform architectures where memory addressing and allocation patterns differ significantly from 32-bit implementations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of CSS property arrays that Chrome uses to store and process styling information for web pages. When the browser encounters malformed or specially constructed CSS code, the improper array management causes memory corruption that can lead to application instability and system crashes. This memory corruption typically manifests as heap corruption or stack overflow conditions that cause Chrome to terminate unexpectedly, effectively denying service to users attempting to access affected web content. The vulnerability's impact is amplified on 64-bit platforms due to differences in memory layout and pointer handling that create additional attack surface areas for exploitation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to web application security and user experience as it allows remote attackers to disrupt Chrome's normal operation without requiring user interaction beyond visiting malicious web pages. The denial of service nature of the exploit means that legitimate users may be unable to access web content, while the memory corruption aspect suggests potential for more severe exploitation if combined with other vulnerabilities. Organizations relying on Chrome as their primary browser for web applications face elevated risk of service disruption, particularly in environments where browser stability directly impacts productivity and business operations. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of improper memory management that has been a persistent challenge in browser security implementations.
The exploitation of CVE-2011-3909 demonstrates the complexity of modern browser security architectures where seemingly isolated components like CSS parsers can create cascading effects that compromise entire application stability. This vulnerability highlights the importance of robust memory management practices in browser engines and the necessity of thorough testing across different platform architectures. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected Chrome versions and consider implementing additional security measures such as browser hardening techniques and network-based protections. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1499 sub-technique for network denial of service, emphasizing the importance of maintaining up-to-date browser versions as a fundamental security control. Regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs should include specific attention to browser engine components, as these represent critical attack vectors in modern web-based threat landscapes.