CVE-2024-4948 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 05/16/2024
Use after free in Dawn in Google Chrome prior to 125.0.6422.60 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 • 03/29/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-4948 represents a critical use-after-free condition within the Dawn graphics library component of Google Chrome. This flaw exists in versions prior to 125.0.6422.60 and constitutes a high-severity issue according to Chromium's security classification. The Dawn library serves as a graphics abstraction layer that enables web applications to access hardware-accelerated graphics capabilities through WebGL and WebGPU APIs. When exploited, this vulnerability allows remote attackers to manipulate heap memory in ways that could lead to arbitrary code execution or system compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the Dawn implementation where freed memory blocks are still being referenced or accessed by subsequent operations. This use-after-free condition occurs when the graphics library fails to properly track memory allocation and deallocation cycles, creating opportunities for malicious actors to manipulate heap structures. The flaw specifically manifests during the processing of crafted HTML pages that trigger specific graphics operations through WebGL or WebGPU interfaces, making it particularly dangerous in web-based attack scenarios.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents significant risks to users of affected Chrome versions as it enables remote code execution through web browsing activities. Attackers can craft malicious web pages that, when loaded in Chrome, trigger the vulnerable code path within Dawn, leading to heap corruption and potential privilege escalation. The attack surface is particularly broad given that Dawn is used extensively in modern web applications that leverage hardware-accelerated graphics, making this vulnerability exploitable across numerous legitimate web browsing scenarios.
The security implications extend beyond simple remote code execution to encompass potential system compromise and data breach scenarios. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-416 which specifically addresses use-after-free errors in memory management, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for remote code execution through web browsers. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected Chrome installations to mitigate this risk. Additional mitigations include implementing browser security policies, disabling unnecessary graphics APIs when possible, and monitoring for suspicious web activity that might indicate exploitation attempts.
This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper memory management in graphics libraries and web browser components. The Dawn library's integration with modern web standards makes this flaw particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through standard web browsing without requiring special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting malicious websites. The remediation process should involve comprehensive testing of patched versions to ensure no regression issues occur while maintaining the browser's functionality and performance characteristics. Security teams should also implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures for handling such vulnerabilities in production environments.