CVE-2023-1529: Google Chrome Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2023-1529 Overview

CVE-2023-1529 is a critical out-of-bounds memory access vulnerability in the WebHID component of Google Chrome prior to version 111.0.5563.110. This vulnerability allows a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a malicious HID (Human Interface Device) device. The WebHID API enables web applications to communicate with HID devices like keyboards, mice, and game controllers, making this vulnerability particularly concerning as it could be exploited through crafted HID device interactions.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can potentially achieve heap corruption leading to arbitrary code execution, complete system compromise, or denial of service through a malicious HID device interaction.

Affected Products

• Google Chrome versions prior to 111.0.5563.110
• Fedora 36, 37, and 38 (via Chromium packages)
• Chromium-based browsers using affected WebHID implementations

Discovery Timeline

• March 21, 2023 - CVE-2023-1529 published to NVD
• November 21, 2024 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2023-1529

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), which occurs when the software writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of an intended buffer. In the context of the WebHID implementation, the out-of-bounds memory access can lead to heap corruption, which is a particularly dangerous condition that can enable sophisticated exploitation techniques.

The WebHID API provides a mechanism for web applications to interact with HID devices at a low level. When processing data from a malicious HID device, the vulnerable code path fails to properly validate buffer boundaries, allowing memory access beyond allocated regions. This type of memory corruption vulnerability can potentially be leveraged to overwrite critical heap metadata or function pointers, enabling arbitrary code execution in the context of the browser process.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient boundary checking within the WebHID component when handling HID device data. Specifically, the code responsible for processing HID reports or device descriptors fails to properly validate the size of incoming data against allocated buffer sizes, resulting in out-of-bounds memory operations. This oversight allows malformed or crafted HID data to trigger heap corruption.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2023-1529 requires an attacker to provide a malicious HID device to the target system. This can be achieved through:

1. Physical access to connect a malicious USB HID device
2. Wireless HID attacks using specially crafted Bluetooth devices
3. Social engineering to convince a user to grant WebHID permissions to a malicious website while a crafted device is connected

Once a malicious HID device is connected and the WebHID API is invoked, the crafted HID reports can trigger the out-of-bounds memory access. The attacker can potentially control the data written outside buffer boundaries to corrupt heap structures or overwrite sensitive memory regions.

The vulnerability is exploitable remotely through a network attack vector when combined with a malicious website that invokes the WebHID API, though it requires the physical presence of a malicious HID device. The exploitation does not require user privileges or interaction beyond the initial device connection and permission grant.

Detection Methods for CVE-2023-1529

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected WebHID API permission requests from untrusted websites
• Unusual HID device connections or enumeration activity in system logs
• Browser crashes or memory corruption errors associated with Chrome's renderer process
• Anomalous memory allocation patterns in Chrome processes when interacting with HID devices

Detection Strategies

• Monitor browser console and system logs for WebHID API errors or exceptions
• Implement endpoint detection rules for unusual HID device enumeration patterns
• Deploy browser policies to restrict or audit WebHID API usage across the organization
• Use memory protection mechanisms and crash analysis to identify exploitation attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable Chrome's built-in crash reporting and review for WebHID-related crashes
• Implement network monitoring for connections to known malicious domains that may host WebHID exploit code
• Deploy application whitelisting for HID devices where possible
• Monitor for privilege escalation attempts following browser process anomalies

How to Mitigate CVE-2023-1529

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Google Chrome to version 111.0.5563.110 or later immediately
• Review and restrict WebHID permissions for all websites in browser settings
• Audit connected HID devices and remove any untrusted or unknown devices
• Consider implementing enterprise browser policies to disable WebHID for non-essential use cases

Patch Information

Google has released a security update addressing this vulnerability in Chrome version 111.0.5563.110. The patch is available through Chrome's automatic update mechanism and via the Chrome Desktop Update announcement. Linux distribution users should apply the relevant updates from their package repositories:

• Fedora users should apply updates as announced in the Fedora Package Announcements
• Gentoo users should reference GLSA 202309-17 for update instructions

Additional technical details are available in the Chromium Bug Report.

Workarounds

• Disable the WebHID API through Chrome enterprise policies by setting WebHidAllowDevicesForUrls and WebHidAskForUrls to restrictive values
• Remove untrusted HID devices from systems before browsing untrusted websites
• Use browser isolation or sandboxing solutions to limit the impact of potential exploitation
• Consider using an alternative browser without WebHID support for high-security tasks until patching is complete

# Chrome Enterprise Policy Configuration Example
# Add to managed policies to disable WebHID API
# On Linux: /etc/chromium/policies/managed/webhid_policy.json
{
  "WebHidAllowAllDevicesForUrls": [],
  "WebHidAllowDevicesForUrls": [],
  "WebHidAskForUrls": [],
  "WebHidBlockedForUrls": ["*"]
}