CVE-2022-0101 in Edge
Summary
by MITRE • 02/12/2022
Heap buffer overflow in Bookmarks in Google Chrome prior to 97.0.4692.71 allowed a remote attacker who convinced a user to perform specific user gesture to potentially exploit heap corruption via specific user gesture.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/12/2022
This vulnerability represents a critical heap buffer overflow condition within the bookmarks functionality of google chrome browsers version 97.0.4692.71 and earlier. The flaw occurs when processing bookmark data structures in memory, specifically during operations that involve manipulating or rendering bookmark entries. The vulnerability is classified as a heap-based buffer overflow under common weakness enumeration cwe-121 which occurs when a program writes beyond the boundaries of a dynamically allocated heap buffer. Attackers can exploit this condition by crafting malicious bookmark data or manipulating existing bookmarks in ways that trigger the vulnerable code path.
The attack requires a specific user gesture to be successful, making it a user-interaction dependent vulnerability rather than a fully automated remote code execution vector. This means an attacker must convince a victim to perform a particular action such as clicking on a maliciously crafted bookmark link or visiting a specially constructed webpage that triggers the bookmark processing routine. The exploitation mechanism targets the memory management subsystem of chrome where bookmark data is stored and manipulated, potentially allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent heap memory regions with controlled data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption as it provides potential for remote code execution when combined with other exploitation techniques such as information disclosure or privilege escalation. The heap corruption can be leveraged to manipulate pointers, function vtables, or other critical data structures that chrome relies upon for secure operation. This vulnerability affects all operating systems where google chrome is supported including windows, macos, and linux platforms. The risk assessment indicates a high severity level due to the potential for arbitrary code execution in the context of the victim's browser session.
Mitigation strategies include immediate upgrading to google chrome version 97.0.4692.71 or later which contains patches addressing this heap buffer overflow condition. Organizations should implement proactive browser update policies and consider deploying automated patch management solutions to ensure timely remediation. Additional defensive measures include implementing content security policies, restricting bookmark imports from untrusted sources, and monitoring for suspicious bookmark manipulation activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory bounds checking in web browser components and highlights how seemingly benign features like bookmarks can become attack vectors when insufficient input validation is implemented. Security professionals should monitor exploit trends related to this specific vulnerability as it may be targeted in advanced persistent threat campaigns or zero-day exploitation attempts, particularly in environments where users are frequently exposed to untrusted web content.