CVE-2022-3075: Google Chrome RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2022-3075 Overview

CVE-2022-3075 is a critical sandbox escape vulnerability in the Mojo component of Google Chrome. Insufficient data validation in Mojo allows a remote attacker who has already compromised the renderer process to escape the browser's sandbox via a specially crafted HTML page. This vulnerability is particularly severe because it enables attackers to break out of Chrome's security sandbox, potentially gaining access to the underlying operating system.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability is actively exploited in the wild and is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. A successful exploit allows attackers to escape Chrome's sandbox after compromising the renderer process, potentially leading to full system compromise.

Affected Products

• Google Chrome versions prior to 105.0.5195.102
• Fedora 37 (via bundled Chromium packages)
• Chromium-based browsers prior to version 105.0.5195.102

Discovery Timeline

• 2022-09-02 - CVE-2022-3075 assigned and Google releases emergency security patch
• 2022-09-26 - CVE-2022-3075 published to NVD
• 2025-10-24 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2022-3075

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists in Mojo, Chrome's inter-process communication (IPC) subsystem that enables communication between different browser components. Mojo is a critical part of Chrome's multi-process architecture, facilitating message passing between the browser process, renderer processes, and other sandboxed components.

The flaw stems from insufficient validation of data being passed through Mojo IPC interfaces. When a renderer process—which is typically sandboxed to limit the impact of exploitation—sends specially crafted data through Mojo, the receiving component fails to properly validate this input. This validation gap allows an attacker to manipulate the IPC communication in ways that can break out of the sandbox boundary.

The attack requires user interaction (visiting a malicious webpage) and presumes the attacker has already achieved code execution within the renderer process. Once the renderer is compromised, this vulnerability provides the critical second stage needed to escape the sandbox and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the browser process.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper input validation (CWE-20) in the Mojo IPC layer. When processing messages between sandboxed processes, the Mojo component fails to adequately validate data boundaries and types. This insufficient validation allows malformed IPC messages to bypass security checks designed to maintain sandbox integrity, enabling privilege escalation from the sandboxed renderer to the more privileged browser process.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires user interaction. An attacker must first lure a victim to a malicious website containing a crafted HTML page. The exploitation occurs in two stages:

1. Renderer Compromise: The attacker first exploits a separate vulnerability to gain code execution in Chrome's renderer process (which runs in a restricted sandbox).

2. Sandbox Escape: Using CVE-2022-3075, the attacker sends malformed Mojo IPC messages from the compromised renderer to escape the sandbox and gain elevated privileges.

The vulnerability mechanism exploits the trust relationship between Chrome processes. When the renderer sends IPC messages through Mojo, insufficient validation allows the attacker to craft messages that trigger undefined behavior in the receiving process, ultimately achieving sandbox escape. For detailed technical analysis, refer to the Chromium Bug Tracker Issue #1358134.

Detection Methods for CVE-2022-3075

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual Chrome renderer process behavior, including unexpected IPC communication patterns
• Chrome crash reports related to Mojo IPC handling or message validation failures
• Network traffic to known malicious domains serving exploit kits targeting Chrome
• Child processes spawned by Chrome with elevated privileges or unexpected parent-child relationships
• Signs of browser exploitation chains in endpoint telemetry data

Detection Strategies

• Monitor Chrome version deployments across the environment and alert on versions prior to 105.0.5195.102
• Implement browser isolation and network monitoring to detect exploitation attempts targeting Chrome
• Deploy endpoint detection rules that identify anomalous Chrome process behavior indicative of sandbox escape
• Analyze browser crash reports for patterns consistent with Mojo IPC exploitation
• Use SentinelOne's behavioral AI to detect post-exploitation activities following sandbox escape

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable enhanced Chrome crash reporting and centralize crash dump analysis
• Monitor for unusual process creation chains originating from Chrome processes
• Implement network segmentation to limit lateral movement in case of successful exploitation
• Track CISA KEV updates and prioritize patching for listed vulnerabilities
• Deploy browser security policies that restrict access to potentially malicious websites

How to Mitigate CVE-2022-3075

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Google Chrome to version 105.0.5195.102 or later immediately across all endpoints
• Enable automatic Chrome updates to ensure timely deployment of security patches
• Review and update Chromium-based browsers (Edge, Brave, Opera) that may be affected
• Implement application control policies to enforce minimum browser version requirements
• Consider deploying browser isolation solutions to contain potential exploitation attempts

Patch Information

Google released an emergency stable channel update addressing CVE-2022-3075 on September 2, 2022. The fix is included in Chrome version 105.0.5195.102 and later. The patch addresses the insufficient data validation in the Mojo IPC subsystem by implementing proper input validation and boundary checks for IPC messages.

For detailed patch information, refer to the Google Chrome Releases Blog. Fedora users should apply the security update via the Fedora Package Announcement. Gentoo users should reference GLSA 202209-23.

Workarounds

• If immediate patching is not possible, consider temporarily restricting browser access to untrusted websites
• Implement network-level filtering to block access to known exploit kit domains
• Use enterprise browser management to enforce site isolation policies
• Deploy additional endpoint protection to detect and block post-exploitation activities
• Consider using alternative browsers temporarily while deploying Chrome updates

# Verify Chrome version on Linux/macOS
google-chrome --version

# Force Chrome update check on Windows (PowerShell)
Start-Process "chrome://settings/help"

# Check Chrome policy deployment (Enterprise)
chrome://policy

# Verify update on Fedora
dnf check-update chromium
dnf upgrade chromium