CVE-2023-0702 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 02/07/2023
Type confusion in Data Transfer in Google Chrome prior to 110.0.5481.77 allowed a remote attacker who convinced a user to engage in specific UI interactions to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0702 represents a type confusion flaw within Google Chrome's data transfer mechanisms that existed prior to version 110.0.5481.77. This issue falls under the broader category of memory safety vulnerabilities and demonstrates how improper type handling can lead to severe security consequences. The vulnerability is classified as medium severity by Chromium security standards but carries significant potential for exploitation in real-world scenarios.
Type confusion vulnerabilities occur when a program incorrectly handles data types during runtime operations, leading to situations where the same memory location is interpreted as different data types. In this case, the flaw manifested within Chrome's data transfer functionality, which is commonly used during drag-and-drop operations, clipboard interactions, and other user interface elements that involve data movement between different application contexts. The vulnerability specifically affects the handling of data objects during transfer operations, where the program fails to properly validate or distinguish between different object types before processing them.
The attack vector for this vulnerability requires a remote attacker to convince a user to interact with a malicious HTML page that triggers specific UI interactions. This social engineering component is crucial as it demonstrates the need for user awareness and the importance of secure browsing practices. The exploitation process likely involves crafting HTML content that manipulates the browser's data transfer mechanisms in such a way that memory corruption occurs during the processing of transferred data. The heap corruption aspect indicates that the vulnerability can potentially be leveraged to execute arbitrary code on the victim's system.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-0702 extends beyond simple data corruption, as heap corruption vulnerabilities often provide attackers with opportunities to achieve remote code execution or privilege escalation. Attackers can potentially leverage this flaw to bypass security controls, access sensitive data, or establish persistent access to compromised systems. The vulnerability affects Chrome's core data handling capabilities, making it particularly dangerous as it could be exploited in various legitimate browsing scenarios where users might encounter malicious content.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability primarily involve updating to Chrome version 110.0.5481.77 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the type confusion issue. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure timely deployment of security updates across all systems. The fix likely involves enhanced type validation mechanisms and improved memory management practices within Chrome's data transfer components. Additionally, browser security configurations should be reviewed to minimize the attack surface, and users should be educated about the risks of visiting untrusted websites or engaging with suspicious content. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-466, which addresses improper handling of pointer types, and could potentially map to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and code execution through browser-based attacks.