CVE-2022-0609: Google Chrome Use-After-Free Vulnerability

CVE-2022-0609 Overview

CVE-2022-0609 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Animation component of Google Chrome prior to version 98.0.4758.102. This memory corruption flaw allows a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution within the context of the browser.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability has been added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming active exploitation in the wild. The use-after-free condition in Chrome's Animation component can be weaponized to achieve remote code execution through malicious web content.

Affected Products

• Google Chrome versions prior to 98.0.4758.102
• All platforms running vulnerable Chrome versions (Windows, macOS, Linux)
• Chromium-based browsers using affected code

Discovery Timeline

• 2022-02-14 - Google releases security patch in Chrome 98.0.4758.102
• 2022-04-05 - CVE-2022-0609 published to NVD
• 2025-10-24 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2022-0609

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-416 (Use After Free), a memory corruption vulnerability that occurs when a program continues to use a pointer after the memory it references has been freed. In the context of Google Chrome's Animation component, this flaw enables attackers to manipulate heap memory through specially crafted HTML content.

The attack requires user interaction, specifically convincing a victim to visit a malicious webpage containing the exploit payload. Once triggered, the use-after-free condition can corrupt heap memory in a controlled manner, potentially allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the browser process. Given Chrome's widespread use, this vulnerability represents a significant threat vector for drive-by download attacks and watering hole campaigns.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2022-0609 lies in improper memory management within Chrome's Animation handling code. When animation objects are processed, the code fails to properly track object lifetimes, leading to a situation where memory can be freed while references to that memory still exist. Subsequent use of these dangling pointers triggers the use-after-free condition.

This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in browsers because the JavaScript engine and rendering pipeline provide attackers with fine-grained control over memory allocation and deallocation timing, making exploitation more reliable.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring the victim to navigate to an attacker-controlled webpage or a compromised legitimate site serving malicious content. The exploitation flow typically involves:

1. Victim visits a webpage containing malicious HTML/JavaScript
2. The malicious code triggers specific animation sequences that exploit the use-after-free condition
3. Heap memory is corrupted in a controlled manner through heap spraying or similar techniques
4. The attacker achieves code execution within the Chrome renderer process
5. Additional exploits may be chained for sandbox escape

The exploitation mechanism targets Chrome's Animation component through crafted HTML content that manipulates the timing and lifecycle of animation objects to trigger the dangling pointer condition. Technical details can be found in the Chromium Bug Report #1296150.

Detection Methods for CVE-2022-0609

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected Chrome crashes or instability when visiting certain websites
• Browser process spawning unusual child processes or network connections
• Anomalous memory allocation patterns in Chrome renderer processes
• Detection of known exploitation domains or infrastructure in network logs

Detection Strategies

• Monitor endpoint telemetry for Chrome processes exhibiting abnormal behavior patterns
• Deploy browser isolation solutions to contain potential exploitation attempts
• Implement network-based detection for known exploitation infrastructure
• Use behavioral analysis to detect heap spray patterns and memory corruption attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable Chrome's built-in crash reporting and review crash dumps for exploitation signatures
• Monitor for indicators of browser-based attacks in EDR/XDR telemetry
• Track Chrome version compliance across endpoints to identify vulnerable installations
• Review web proxy logs for access to suspicious or newly registered domains

How to Mitigate CVE-2022-0609

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Google Chrome to version 98.0.4758.102 or later immediately
• Enable automatic updates for Chrome across all managed endpoints
• Consider implementing browser isolation for high-risk users
• Block access to known exploitation infrastructure at the network perimeter

Patch Information

Google addressed this vulnerability in the stable channel update released on February 14, 2022. The fix is included in Chrome version 98.0.4758.102 and all subsequent releases. Organizations should reference the Google Chrome Stable Update announcement for full details.

Given this vulnerability's inclusion in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, federal agencies are mandated to apply patches within specified timelines, and all organizations are strongly encouraged to prioritize remediation.

Workarounds

• Implement browser isolation technology to contain potential exploitation in a sandboxed environment
• Restrict access to untrusted websites through web filtering and category-based blocking
• Consider temporarily disabling JavaScript on untrusted sites via browser extensions or policies
• Deploy endpoint detection solutions capable of identifying memory corruption attacks

# Verify Chrome version on Linux/macOS
google-chrome --version
# Should report 98.0.4758.102 or higher

# For enterprise deployments, enforce minimum version via policy
# Windows Group Policy: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Google > Google Chrome > Minimum version required