CVE-2022-3370 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 11/01/2022
Use after free in Custom Elements in Google Chrome prior to 106.0.5249.91 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-3370 represents a critical use-after-free condition within Google Chrome's implementation of Custom Elements, a web platform feature that enables developers to create reusable custom HTML elements with encapsulated functionality. This flaw existed in Chrome versions prior to 106.0.5249.91 and could be exploited by remote attackers through maliciously crafted HTML pages that manipulate the browser's object lifecycle management. The issue stems from improper memory management when handling custom elements, specifically during the destruction and subsequent reuse of memory regions that should have been invalidated.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the browser's JavaScript engine and DOM manipulation system where Custom Elements are created, used, and eventually destroyed. When a custom element is removed from the document, the underlying memory allocation should be properly deallocated and marked as invalid. However, in this case, the memory management logic failed to properly invalidate references, allowing subsequent operations to access freed memory locations. This creates a scenario where an attacker-controlled HTML page could trigger the creation and destruction of custom elements in a specific pattern that leaves memory in a state where it can be reallocated and accessed after the original object has been freed. The Chromium security severity classification of High indicates the potential for significant exploitation capabilities, as this type of heap corruption can lead to arbitrary code execution or information disclosure.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-3370 extends beyond simple browser instability, as it represents a fundamental memory safety issue that can be leveraged for remote code execution. Attackers could craft HTML pages that, when loaded in a victim's browser, would trigger the vulnerable code path and potentially execute malicious code with the privileges of the browser process. This vulnerability affects the core web platform capabilities and represents a significant risk to users browsing untrusted websites, particularly in scenarios where users might be tricked into visiting malicious sites through phishing campaigns or compromised web applications. The exploitation requires no user interaction beyond visiting a malicious page, making it particularly dangerous as it can be automated through various attack vectors including email attachments, compromised websites, or malicious advertisements.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate remediation through software updates, as the most effective solution is upgrading to Chrome version 106.0.5249.91 or later where the memory management issue has been addressed. Organizations should prioritize patching this vulnerability across all affected systems, particularly those running older versions of Chrome or Chromium-based browsers. Browser vendors typically implement additional security measures such as address space layout randomization, stack canaries, and heap metadata protection to make exploitation more difficult, but these protections are insufficient against properly crafted attacks. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which describes the use of freed memory condition, and represents a classic example of heap corruption that could map to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script-based exploitation. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls, content security policies, and regular security scanning to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Additionally, user education regarding suspicious website visits and phishing awareness remains crucial in defending against this type of remote code execution vulnerability.