CVE-2022-0460 in Edge
Summary
by MITRE • 04/05/2022
Use after free in Window Dialogue in Google Chrome prior to 98.0.4758.80 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/05/2022
This vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition within the window dialogue implementation of google chrome browser prior to version 98.0.4758.80. The flaw occurs when the browser processes crafted html content that triggers improper memory management during dialogue window handling operations. The underlying technical issue manifests as a failure in the reference counting mechanism or object lifecycle management within the browser's rendering engine, specifically affecting how dialogue windows are allocated and subsequently freed from memory. When an attacker crafts malicious html content that manipulates dialogue window creation and destruction sequences, the browser may attempt to access memory locations that have already been deallocated, leading to heap corruption conditions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple browser instability, as it provides remote attackers with potential pathways for arbitrary code execution within the context of the compromised browser process. This use-after-free condition falls under the common weakness enumeration cwe-416 which specifically addresses use after free vulnerabilities in software systems. Attackers could leverage this flaw by hosting malicious web pages that trigger the vulnerable dialogue window functionality, potentially leading to complete browser compromise and subsequent system access. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that users need only visit a compromised webpage to be at risk, making it particularly dangerous in real-world scenarios.
The attack vector typically involves crafting html content that creates multiple dialogue windows while manipulating their lifecycle events to cause the browser to access freed memory locations. This can occur through javascript interactions with window.open and window.close functions combined with specific html element behaviors that trigger the vulnerable code path. The heap corruption resulting from this flaw could be exploited to overwrite critical memory structures or inject malicious code into the browser process, potentially enabling privilege escalation attacks. According to the mitre attack framework, this vulnerability would map to techniques involving execution through web browsers and memory corruption exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected chrome versions to 98.0.4758.80 or later, as google released security updates specifically addressing this heap corruption issue. Organizations should implement browser hardening measures including disabling unnecessary javascript features, restricting access to potentially vulnerable web content, and deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious html payloads. Additionally, regular security assessments should verify that browser installations remain up-to-date with the latest security patches. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of proper memory management in browser implementations and demonstrates how seemingly minor flaws in object lifecycle management can lead to severe security consequences across the entire operating system surface area.