CVE-2022-2161 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 07/28/2022
Use after free in WebApp Provider in Google Chrome prior to 103.0.5060.53 allowed a remote attacker who convinced the user to engage in specific user interactions to potentially exploit heap corruption via specific UI interactions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2022
This vulnerability represents a classic use-after-free condition that occurred within the web application provider component of google chrome browsers prior to version 103.0.5060.53. The flaw resides in how the browser handles memory management during specific user interaction scenarios, creating an opportunity for remote code execution through heap corruption techniques. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-416 which specifically addresses use-after-free errors where program memory is accessed after it has been freed, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves memory allocation and deallocation processes within chrome's web application provider module that fails to properly track object references after memory release. When a user engages in specific UI interactions such as navigating between pages or manipulating certain web elements, the browser's memory management system encounters a scenario where freed memory locations are still being referenced by subsequent operations. This creates a window of opportunity for attackers to manipulate the heap structure through carefully crafted web content that triggers these specific interaction patterns.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple browser instability as it enables remote code execution capabilities that can be leveraged across multiple attack vectors. An attacker who successfully convinces a user to perform specific interactions with malicious web content could potentially execute arbitrary code on the victim's system with the privileges of the chrome process. This represents a critical security risk that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter, as it allows for execution of code through browser-based attack surfaces. The vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1203 which covers exploitation for client execution through web-based attacks.
The exploitation scenario requires social engineering to convince users to interact with malicious content, making it particularly dangerous in real-world environments where user awareness may be limited. The specific UI interactions that trigger the vulnerability are likely related to dynamic content loading, DOM manipulation, or resource management within chrome's rendering engine. Attackers would need to craft web pages that create the precise memory conditions leading to the use-after-free state, typically involving rapid succession of operations that cause memory allocation and deallocation cycles.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate browser updates to version 103.0.5060.53 or later where the memory management issues have been addressed through proper reference tracking and memory lifecycle management. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management policies ensuring all chrome installations are updated promptly when security patches become available. Additional protective measures include deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious interaction patterns, implementing strict content security policies that limit dangerous scripting capabilities, and conducting regular security assessments to identify potential exploitation vectors. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Top 10 and NIST guidelines for preventing memory corruption vulnerabilities in web browsers and other software applications.