CVE-2022-0973: Google Chrome Use After Free Vulnerability

CVE-2022-0973 Overview

CVE-2022-0973 is a use-after-free vulnerability [CWE-416] in the Safe Browsing component of Google Chrome versions prior to 99.0.4844.74. A remote attacker can exploit heap corruption by convincing a user to visit a crafted HTML page. Successful exploitation allows attackers to execute arbitrary code within the browser process and escape the renderer sandbox, given the scope change reflected in the CVSS vector.

Google addressed the issue in the Stable Channel update for desktop released in March 2022. The flaw affects Chrome installations across Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms.

Critical Impact
Remote attackers can trigger heap corruption through a malicious web page, leading to arbitrary code execution and potential sandbox escape with only minimal user interaction.

Affected Products

Google Chrome versions prior to 99.0.4844.74 on Windows
Google Chrome versions prior to 99.0.4844.74 on macOS
Google Chrome versions prior to 99.0.4844.74 on Linux

Discovery Timeline

2022-07-21 - CVE-2022-0973 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2022-0973

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in Chrome's Safe Browsing component, which inspects URLs and downloads against Google's threat lists. A use-after-free condition occurs when the component continues to reference a heap object after it has been freed. An attacker who controls the freed memory region can manipulate object pointers and vtable entries, redirecting program execution.

The attack requires a victim to load a crafted HTML page. Because Safe Browsing operates on resources the browser fetches automatically, the attacker can trigger the dangling reference without further user clicks. The vulnerability carries a scope change, meaning successful exploitation impacts components beyond the immediate vulnerable process.

Root Cause

Use-after-free flaws stem from improper lifetime management of heap-allocated objects. In this case, Safe Browsing code retained a reference to an object after another execution path freed it. Subsequent dereferences read or wrote attacker-influenced data in the freed region. The browser's allocator can return that region for new allocations, allowing an attacker to place controlled bytes where Safe Browsing expects a valid object.

Attack Vector

Exploitation follows the standard browser drive-by pattern. The attacker hosts or injects a crafted HTML page containing JavaScript and resource references that exercise Safe Browsing code paths. When the victim navigates to the page, the renderer triggers the freed object reference. The attacker then performs heap grooming to control the layout of freed memory and achieve code execution.

Detailed technical analysis is restricted in Google's bug tracker until a majority of users have updated. Refer to the Chrome Bug Report #1297498 and the Google Chrome Update Announcement for vendor information.

Detection Methods for CVE-2022-0973

Indicators of Compromise

Chrome processes spawning unexpected child processes such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or shell interpreters from the browser binary
Outbound connections from chrome.exe to non-browsing infrastructure immediately after visiting an unfamiliar domain
Unexpected file writes from the Chrome process tree to user profile directories or %TEMP%
Browser crash dumps referencing the Safe Browsing component on hosts running outdated Chrome builds

Detection Strategies

Inventory Chrome versions across managed endpoints and flag any instance below 99.0.4844.74
Monitor process creation telemetry for anomalous child processes parented to chrome.exe
Correlate browser navigation events with subsequent process or network anomalies on the same host
Hunt for renderer crashes followed by suspicious binary execution within a short time window

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable enterprise reporting for Chrome via the Chrome Enterprise Connectors Framework to capture crash and navigation events
Forward endpoint process telemetry to a centralized analytics platform for cross-host correlation
Track download events originating from browser sessions and validate file reputations against threat intelligence feeds

How to Mitigate CVE-2022-0973

Immediate Actions Required

Update Google Chrome to version 99.0.4844.74 or later on all endpoints
Restart Chrome after the update so the patched binary loads into memory
Audit unmanaged or BYOD systems where automatic updates may be disabled
Verify that Safe Browsing remains enabled in Chrome settings after deployment

Patch Information

Google released the fix in the Stable Channel update for desktop documented in the Google Chrome Update Announcement. Linux distributions shipped corresponding updates, including the Gentoo Security Advisory GLSA-202208-25. Administrators should ensure all Chromium-based deployments incorporate the upstream fix.

Workarounds

No vendor-supplied workaround exists; patching is the only supported remediation
Restrict browsing to trusted sites through enterprise web filtering until updates complete
Deploy Chrome policies that enforce automatic updates and block downgrades to vulnerable builds
Isolate browsing activity for high-risk users through remote browser isolation pending patch rollout

bash

# Verify installed Chrome version on Linux
google-chrome --version

# Force update via apt on Debian/Ubuntu after configuring the Google repository
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install --only-upgrade google-chrome-stable

# Confirm the installed version meets or exceeds the fixed build
dpkg -l google-chrome-stable | awk '/google-chrome/ {print $3}'