CVE-2022-2617 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/13/2022
Use after free in Extensions API in Google Chrome prior to 104.0.5112.79 allowed an attacker who convinced a user to install a malicious extension to potentially exploit heap corruption via specific UI interactions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/30/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-2617 represents a critical use-after-free condition within the Extensions API of Google Chrome, affecting versions prior to 104.0.5112.79. This flaw exists in the browser's extension management system where the application fails to properly validate memory references after objects have been freed from the heap. The issue manifests when a malicious extension is installed and subsequently interacts with specific user interface elements, creating a scenario where freed memory locations can be accessed and potentially manipulated by an attacker. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of browser extension security and memory management, exploiting the temporal gap between object deallocation and memory reuse that allows for arbitrary code execution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to first convince a user to install a malicious browser extension, which then leverages specific UI interaction patterns to trigger the use-after-free condition. When the extension API processes certain user interface events, it accesses memory that has already been freed, potentially allowing for heap corruption and subsequent code execution. This type of vulnerability is classified as a CWE-416 Use After Free, which is a well-known class of memory safety issues that occur when a program continues to reference memory after it has been freed, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential exploitation. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires only user interaction through extension installation rather than more sophisticated social engineering or privilege escalation techniques.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-2617 extends beyond simple browser compromise, as it provides attackers with a pathway to execute arbitrary code within the browser context with the privileges of the user. This vulnerability can be exploited to bypass security restrictions that normally protect against malicious extensions, potentially allowing for data theft, credential harvesting, or further system compromise. The attack surface is significant because browser extensions are trusted by users and often have elevated permissions, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where users may install extensions from untrusted sources. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence through browser extensions, with potential for lateral movement if the compromised browser is used for sensitive operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-2617 primarily focus on immediate browser updates to versions 104.0.5112.79 and later, which contain patches addressing the memory management issues in the Extensions API. Organizations should implement strict extension management policies, limiting extension installation to trusted sources and conducting regular audits of installed extensions. Browser security configurations should be hardened through the use of extension whitelisting, sandboxing, and regular security updates. Additionally, user education regarding the risks of installing unknown extensions and the importance of only downloading extensions from official sources remains critical. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual extension behavior patterns, and security teams should implement continuous vulnerability scanning to identify potentially compromised browser environments. The fix addresses the underlying heap corruption issue through proper memory management and validation of object references within the extension API, preventing the exploitation of the temporal memory access gap that previously enabled this attack vector.