CVE-2023-2134 in Edge
Summary
by MITRE • 04/19/2023
Out of bounds memory access in Service Worker API in Google Chrome prior to 112.0.5615.137 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 • 04/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-2134 represents a critical out-of-bounds memory access flaw within Google Chrome's Service Worker API implementation. This issue affects Chrome versions prior to 112.0.5615.137 and constitutes a high-severity security concern according to Chromium's security classification system. Service Workers function as background processes that enable web applications to intercept network requests and manage caching, operating independently of the main browser thread. The flaw specifically manifests when processing crafted HTML content that triggers improper memory handling within the Service Worker execution context, potentially leading to heap corruption and arbitrary code execution.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the memory management routines of Chrome's Service Worker API. When a malicious webpage attempts to manipulate Service Worker functionality through carefully constructed HTML elements, the underlying memory allocation and deallocation processes fail to properly validate array indices or buffer boundaries. This memory corruption vulnerability falls under the CWE-129 category of Improper Validation of Array Index, which directly maps to the fundamental flaw in boundary checking mechanisms. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate heap memory structures through controlled input data, potentially leading to privilege escalation or complete system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-2134 extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it provides remote attackers with a pathway to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. Attackers can craft malicious web pages that, when loaded in Chrome browsers, trigger the vulnerable Service Worker API code path. This enables exploitation through techniques such as heap spraying or return-oriented programming to achieve remote code execution. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that users can be compromised simply by visiting a malicious website, without requiring any local interaction or user consent. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution, representing a significant threat vector for credential theft, data exfiltration, and system takeover operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-2134 primarily focus on immediate browser updates to versions 112.0.5615.137 and later, which contain the necessary patches to address the memory access violation. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all Chrome installations are updated promptly. Additionally, network administrators can deploy web application firewalls or content filtering solutions to block access to known malicious domains that may host exploit payloads. Browser hardening measures such as disabling Service Worker functionality for untrusted websites or implementing strict Content Security Policies can provide additional defense layers. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar memory corruption issues within browser components. Security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis and implement intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability.