CVE-2011-3912 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in Google Chrome before 16.0.912.63 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via vectors related to SVG filters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/28/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3912 represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Google Chrome versions prior to 16.0.912.63 that specifically targets the browser's handling of Scalable Vector Graphics filters. This type of vulnerability occurs when a program continues to reference memory that has already been freed, creating potential exploitation opportunities for malicious actors. The issue manifests within Chrome's SVG filter processing subsystem, where improper memory management allows attackers to manipulate the browser's rendering engine through crafted malicious content.
From a technical perspective, the use-after-free vulnerability in Chrome's SVG filter implementation stems from inadequate memory deallocation and reference management within the browser's graphics processing pipeline. When Chrome processes SVG elements containing specific filter operations, the memory allocated for filter objects may be prematurely freed while still being referenced by subsequent operations. This memory corruption scenario can lead to unpredictable behavior including application crashes, memory corruption, or potentially arbitrary code execution depending on the specific exploitation vector. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of web standards processing and memory management, making it particularly challenging to detect and prevent.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it could potentially enable remote code execution or other unspecified security impacts according to the original CVE description. Attackers could craft malicious web pages containing specially constructed SVG filter elements that trigger the memory corruption when the browser attempts to render them. This exploitation capability makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in web-based attack scenarios where users might inadvertently encounter compromised content. The vulnerability affects a broad range of users since SVG support is standard in modern web browsers and the exploitation can occur through normal browsing activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-3912 primarily involve updating to Chrome version 16.0.912.63 or later, which includes patches addressing the memory management issues in SVG filter processing. Browser vendors should implement comprehensive memory safety checks and utilize modern programming practices such as smart pointers and automatic memory management to prevent similar issues. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in software implementations. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability would likely map to techniques in the ATT&CK framework under the T1203 category for "Exploitation for Client Execution" and potentially T1059 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter" if exploitation leads to code execution. Organizations should prioritize immediate patch deployment and consider implementing additional browser security measures such as sandboxing and content filtering to reduce the risk of exploitation in environments where immediate updates may not be feasible.