CVE-2023-2461 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 05/03/2023
Use after free in OS Inputs in Google Chrome on ChromeOS prior to 113.0.5672.63 allowed a remote attacker who convinced a user to enage in specific UI interaction to potentially exploit heap corruption via crafted UI interaction. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/26/2025
This vulnerability represents a use-after-free condition in the operating system inputs component of Google Chrome running on ChromeOS platforms. The flaw exists within the memory management handling of input processing mechanisms, specifically when dealing with user interface interactions that trigger memory deallocation followed by subsequent access to freed memory regions. The vulnerability is classified as medium severity by Chromium security standards, indicating potential for exploitation in targeted scenarios.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper memory lifecycle management within ChromeOS's input handling subsystem. When specific user interface interactions occur, the system allocates memory for input processing structures and subsequently frees them without proper nullification or validation checks. A remote attacker can potentially craft malicious UI sequences that manipulate the timing and execution flow to trigger access to these freed memory regions, leading to heap corruption. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in software implementations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it creates potential pathways for arbitrary code execution within the ChromeOS environment. Attackers who can convince victims to perform specific UI interactions may exploit this condition to execute malicious payloads with the privileges of the Chrome process. The remote nature of the attack vector means that exploitation can occur without physical access to the device, making it particularly concerning for enterprise and consumer deployments. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands through the compromised input processing subsystem.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate system updates to ChromeOS versions containing the patched memory management routines. Organizations should prioritize deployment of ChromeOS version 113.0.5672.63 or later, which includes proper memory deallocation validation and input processing safeguards. Additional protective measures include implementing user behavior monitoring to detect unusual UI interaction patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, along with network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify crafted UI interaction sequences. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust memory safety practices in operating system components, particularly those handling user input where timing and sequence dependencies can create exploitable conditions.