CVE-2022-0798 in Edge
Summary
by MITRE • 04/05/2022
Use after free in MediaStream in Google Chrome prior to 99.0.4844.51 allowed an attacker who convinced a user to install a malicious extension to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted Chrome Extension.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/14/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition in the MediaStream component of Google Chrome, specifically affecting versions prior to 99.0.4844.51. The flaw occurs when a malicious extension attempts to manipulate memory resources after they have been freed, creating an exploitable heap corruption scenario that could be leveraged by attackers who successfully convince users to install compromised extensions. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the MediaStream API implementation, which is responsible for handling media data streams in web applications and browser extensions.
The technical exploitation of this use-after-free flaw involves a malicious Chrome extension that can trigger the vulnerable code path through crafted media stream operations. When legitimate media stream objects are destroyed or freed from memory but references to them persist within the extension's code or related components, an attacker can manipulate these dangling pointers to overwrite critical memory locations. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in software implementations. The attacker's control over the heap layout allows for arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the Chrome browser process, potentially enabling full system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it leverages the trust model inherent in browser extension ecosystems. Attackers can exploit this weakness by convincing users to install seemingly legitimate extensions that contain malicious payloads designed to trigger the vulnerable memory management paths. Once executed, the heap corruption could lead to remote code execution, data theft, or persistent backdoor installation within the user's browsing environment. This attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal user interaction beyond extension installation and can operate at the browser level without requiring additional system privileges.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Chrome versions to 99.0.4844.51 or later, which contains the necessary memory management fixes. Organizations should implement strict extension review processes and avoid installing extensions from untrusted sources while maintaining comprehensive monitoring for suspicious browser behavior. The fix addresses memory management issues in the MediaStream API by ensuring proper reference counting and object lifecycle management during extension interactions. Security teams should also consider implementing browser hardening measures such as sandboxing, restricted permissions for extensions, and regular security audits of installed extensions to prevent exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure memory handling practices in browser components and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1176 for Browser Extensions as a method of persistence and privilege escalation.
The presence of this vulnerability highlights the complex security challenges inherent in modern browser architectures where extension ecosystems can provide attack vectors that bypass traditional operating system security controls. The use-after-free condition represents a fundamental memory safety issue that affects not only media processing but potentially other components that rely on similar resource management patterns within the Chrome rendering engine. Regular security updates and proactive monitoring of browser vulnerabilities remain essential practices for maintaining secure browsing environments, particularly given the sophisticated nature of attacks targeting browser internals through extension-based exploitation techniques.