CVE-2024-3169 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 07/17/2024
Use after free in V8 in Google Chrome prior to 121.0.6167.139 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 • 03/24/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition in the V8 JavaScript engine that powers Google Chrome's web browser. The flaw exists within the memory management subsystem where a freed memory block is still being accessed or referenced after it has been deallocated from the heap. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-416 which specifically addresses use after free conditions in software development. The vulnerability manifests when processing specially crafted HTML content that triggers the V8 engine to execute code that references memory that has already been freed, creating a dangerous scenario for heap corruption.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a remote attacker who crafts malicious HTML pages designed to trigger specific conditions in the V8 engine's memory management. When Chrome processes such pages, the JavaScript engine executes code that causes a memory allocation to be freed while simultaneously maintaining references to that memory location. This creates a race condition or improper memory management scenario where subsequent operations attempt to access the freed memory block, leading to unpredictable behavior including potential code execution or system instability. The Chromium security team classified this as high severity due to the potential for remote code execution and the relative ease with which an attacker could craft such malicious content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple browser exploitation to encompass broader security implications for end users and enterprise environments. A successful exploitation could allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems with the privileges of the Chrome user, potentially leading to full system compromise. This vulnerability affects all versions of Google Chrome prior to 121.0.6167.139 and represents a significant risk for users who may inadvertently visit malicious websites or receive crafted email attachments containing such content. The use-after-free condition can be leveraged through the attack technique described in the attack pattern taxonomy under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for JavaScript and VBA, where adversaries use scripting languages to execute malicious code.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate remediation through software updates and browser patching. Organizations should prioritize updating all affected Chrome installations to version 121.0.6167.139 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the memory management issues in V8. Additionally, implementing network-level protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions can help prevent access to known malicious domains until full patching is completed. Security teams should also consider deploying browser hardening measures including sandboxing configurations and strict content security policies to limit the potential impact if exploitation were to occur. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining current software versions and implementing robust patch management processes to protect against memory corruption vulnerabilities that can be exploited remotely through web-based attacks.