CVE-2011-3972 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
The shader translator implementation in Google Chrome before 17.0.963.46 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3972 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw within Google Chrome's shader translator implementation, affecting versions prior to 17.0.963.46. This issue resides in the browser's graphics processing capabilities where shader programs are translated from one format to another for rendering web content. The shader translator serves as a crucial component in Chrome's graphics pipeline, enabling the proper execution of WebGL and other graphics-intensive web applications. When processing malformed shader code, the implementation fails to properly validate input boundaries, creating opportunities for attackers to exploit memory access violations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of memory safety issues and can be classified as a CWE-125 out-of-bounds read, where the application attempts to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This flaw specifically impacts Chrome's WebGL rendering engine, which relies on shader translation to convert GLSL shaders into GPU-executable code. The vulnerability occurs during the translation phase when the shader compiler does not adequately validate shader parameters or code structure, allowing malicious input to trigger memory access patterns that extend beyond intended boundaries. Attackers can craft specially formatted shader code that, when processed by the vulnerable translator, causes the browser to read memory locations that are not properly allocated or accessible.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks against Chrome users without requiring any user interaction or privilege escalation. The out-of-bounds read can potentially lead to browser crashes, rendering the application unusable until restart, and may also provide opportunities for more sophisticated attacks if combined with other vulnerabilities. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as it affects the core graphics rendering functionality that many modern web applications depend upon. Users browsing malicious websites or viewing compromised web content could experience immediate browser instability and potential system resource exhaustion, particularly in scenarios where multiple malicious shader inputs are processed simultaneously.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability center around immediate browser updates to versions 17.0.963.46 and later, which contain fixed shader translation logic that properly validates input boundaries. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all Chrome installations remain current with security updates. Additional protective measures include implementing web content filtering solutions that can identify and block suspicious shader code patterns, utilizing sandboxing mechanisms that limit the impact of potential exploitation, and monitoring browser crash reports for signs of exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider deploying network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify patterns associated with shader-based attacks, while maintaining regular security assessments of web applications that utilize WebGL or similar graphics technologies. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation in graphics processing components and underscores the need for continuous security testing of browser rendering engines to prevent similar issues in future implementations.