CVE-2022-4440 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 12/14/2022
Use after free in Profiles in Google Chrome prior to 108.0.5359.124 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-4440 represents a critical use-after-free condition within Google Chrome's Profiles component that existed prior to version 108.0.5359.124. This flaw falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-416, which specifically addresses the use of freed memory, making it a direct descendant of memory safety issues that have plagued software systems for decades. The vulnerability manifests when a maliciously crafted HTML page triggers improper memory management within Chrome's profile handling mechanisms, creating an opportunity for remote code execution through heap corruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves Chrome's handling of profile data structures during web page rendering processes. When processing specially crafted HTML content, the browser's memory management system fails to properly validate the lifecycle of profile objects, leading to situations where memory addresses are deallocated but subsequently accessed by malicious code. This particular flaw operates within the Chromium security framework where profile data encompasses user preferences, browsing history, and extension configurations that are managed through complex object hierarchies. The heap corruption occurs when the application attempts to access memory that has already been freed, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate memory contents or execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Chrome process.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to end users as it enables remote exploitation through web-based attacks without requiring any local interaction or user consent. The medium severity classification from Chromium security team indicates that while the attack vector is accessible through web pages, the exploitation complexity and potential impact require careful consideration. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by hosting malicious web content that triggers the specific memory management flaw, potentially leading to full system compromise. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that users can be compromised simply by visiting a malicious website, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or compromised websites.
The exploitation of CVE-2022-4440 aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the victim's system. The vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1547.001 for registry run keys and startup folder, as compromised browsers can be used to establish persistence mechanisms. Organizations should prioritize patch management to address this vulnerability immediately, as the window for exploitation remains open for systems running affected Chrome versions. Security teams should implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and consider browser hardening measures including sandboxing and privilege separation. The remediation approach must include updating Chrome to version 108.0.5359.124 or later, along with implementing additional security controls such as web application firewalls and content security policies to mitigate potential exploitation attempts.