CVE-2022-1310: Google Chrome Use After Free Vulnerability

CVE-2022-1310 Overview

CVE-2022-1310 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the regular expression engine of Google Chrome prior to version 100.0.4896.88. A remote attacker can exploit heap corruption by enticing a user to load a crafted HTML page. Successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution within the renderer process, providing a stepping stone toward sandbox escape and full browser compromise. The flaw is tracked under CWE-416: Use After Free and affects all Chrome desktop platforms. Google addressed the issue in the April 2022 stable channel update.

Critical Impact
Remote attackers can trigger heap corruption and potentially execute arbitrary code by convincing a user to visit a malicious web page.

Affected Products

Google Chrome desktop versions prior to 100.0.4896.88
Chromium-based browsers incorporating the affected V8 regular expression code
Gentoo Linux distributions of www-client/google-chrome prior to the GLSA 202208-25 patch

Discovery Timeline

2022-04-11 - Google releases stable channel update fixing the issue
2022-07-25 - CVE-2022-1310 published to NVD
2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2022-1310

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a use-after-free condition within Chrome's regular expression handling, part of the V8 JavaScript engine. Use-after-free flaws occur when a program continues to reference memory after it has been freed. An attacker who controls the freed allocation can place attacker-controlled data at that location and influence subsequent operations performed through the dangling pointer.

In the context of V8 regex processing, manipulating object lifetimes during compilation or execution of a crafted pattern can cause internal structures to be released while still in use. Reuse of that memory enables heap corruption, type confusion in adjacent objects, or controlled writes that lead to renderer-process code execution. Renderer compromise is typically chained with a sandbox escape to fully impact the host.

User interaction is required: a victim must load attacker-controlled HTML or JavaScript. The vulnerability is reachable across the network with no authentication, making drive-by exploitation through malicious advertising, compromised sites, or phishing links a practical delivery path.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper lifetime management of heap objects used by the regular expression subsystem. References to a freed object remain in use during pattern compilation or matching, violating the safety invariants that Chrome's memory model assumes. The defect is classified as CWE-416.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires a victim to navigate to a malicious page or render attacker-controlled HTML content. The attacker delivers JavaScript that constructs the specific regex pattern and object sequences needed to trigger the dangling pointer, then sprays the heap to control the freed memory before reuse.

// No public proof-of-concept is available for CVE-2022-1310.
// Refer to the Chrome bug tracker entry for technical details:
// https://crbug.com/1307610

Detection Methods for CVE-2022-1310

Indicators of Compromise

Chrome renderer process crashes with heap corruption signatures originating from V8 regex code paths
Unexpected child process creation from chrome.exe or renderer sandboxes following web navigation
Outbound connections from Chrome renderer processes to uncategorized or newly registered domains immediately after page load
Browser telemetry showing Chrome versions earlier than 100.0.4896.88 in the environment

Detection Strategies

Inventory installed Chrome versions across managed endpoints and flag any build below 100.0.4896.88
Monitor for anomalous process trees where Chrome renderer processes spawn shells, scripting hosts, or LOLBins
Correlate browser crash dumps with web proxy logs to identify pages that consistently destabilize the renderer
Apply web reputation and category filtering to block known exploit-kit infrastructure delivering crafted HTML

Monitoring Recommendations

Centralize endpoint and browser telemetry to detect post-exploitation behaviors such as credential access and persistence
Alert on Chrome processes loading unsigned modules or performing unusual memory operations
Track HTTP responses containing heavily obfuscated JavaScript paired with large regex literals from untrusted origins

How to Mitigate CVE-2022-1310

Immediate Actions Required

Update Google Chrome to version 100.0.4896.88 or later on all desktop platforms
Restart Chrome after the update to ensure the patched binary is loaded by all user sessions
Verify Chromium-based browsers and embedded webviews in enterprise applications incorporate the fixed V8 build
Audit endpoint compliance to confirm no legacy Chrome installations remain in the environment

Patch Information

Google shipped the fix in the stable channel update announced on April 11, 2022. Refer to the Stable Channel Update for Desktop and the internal tracking entry at Chrome Bug #1307610. Linux distribution users should consult the Gentoo GLSA 202208-25 advisory for package-level remediation.

Workarounds

Enforce automatic updates through Chrome enterprise policy to guarantee timely patching of future browser vulnerabilities
Apply strict web content filtering and block execution of JavaScript on untrusted origins where feasible
Use site isolation and ensure the Chrome sandbox is enabled to constrain renderer-process compromise

bash

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

# Verify installed Chrome version on macOS
/Applications/Google\ Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google\ Chrome --version

# Windows: check version via registry
reg query "HKLM\Software\Google\Update\Clients\{8A69D345-D564-463C-AFF1-A69D9E530F96}" /v pv