CVE-2023-2721 Overview
CVE-2023-2721 is a use after free vulnerability in the Navigation component of Google Chrome prior to version 113.0.5672.126. This memory corruption flaw allows a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a specially crafted HTML page. Classified as critical severity by the Chromium security team, this vulnerability poses significant risk as it can be triggered simply by convincing a user to visit a malicious webpage.
Critical Impact
Remote attackers can exploit this heap corruption vulnerability through crafted HTML pages, potentially achieving arbitrary code execution in the context of the user's browser session.
Affected Products
- Google Chrome versions prior to 113.0.5672.126
- Debian Linux 11.0
- Fedora 37 and 38
Discovery Timeline
- May 16, 2023 - CVE-2023-2721 published to NVD
- May 5, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2023-2721
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability is classified as CWE-416 (Use After Free), a memory corruption vulnerability where a program continues to use a pointer after the memory it references has been freed. In the context of Chrome's Navigation component, this occurs when navigation-related objects are deallocated but subsequently referenced, leading to heap corruption.
The attack requires user interaction—specifically, the victim must navigate to or be redirected to a malicious webpage containing the crafted HTML payload. Once triggered, the use after free condition can corrupt heap memory structures, potentially allowing an attacker to hijack control flow or execute arbitrary code within the Chrome renderer process.
Root Cause
The root cause lies in improper memory management within Chrome's Navigation subsystem. When certain navigation events occur, memory objects may be freed while other parts of the codebase retain stale references to these objects. Subsequent use of these dangling pointers results in accessing freed memory, leading to heap corruption. This type of vulnerability often stems from complex object lifecycle management in C++ codebases where multiple components share references to navigation state.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based and requires user interaction. An attacker must craft a malicious HTML page designed to trigger the specific navigation sequence that causes the use after free condition. The attack scenario typically involves:
- Attacker hosts or injects malicious HTML content on a webpage
- Victim navigates to the malicious page or is redirected via phishing or compromised advertisements
- The crafted HTML triggers the vulnerable navigation code path
- Heap corruption occurs when freed memory is accessed
- Attacker potentially achieves code execution or information disclosure
The vulnerability can be exploited through various delivery mechanisms including malicious links in emails, compromised websites, or malvertising campaigns.
Detection Methods for CVE-2023-2721
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected Chrome renderer process crashes with heap corruption signatures
- Suspicious navigation patterns or rapid page redirections in browser logs
- Abnormal memory access violations in Chrome process dumps
- Evidence of malicious HTML pages in browser cache or history
Detection Strategies
- Monitor for Chrome crash reports containing heap corruption or use after free indicators
- Deploy endpoint detection rules for suspicious renderer process behavior
- Analyze network traffic for known malicious payloads targeting Chrome navigation
- Implement browser extension monitoring for anomalous navigation events
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable Chrome crash reporting and centralize logs for analysis
- Monitor endpoint telemetry for browser process anomalies
- Track browser version deployment across the organization to identify unpatched instances
- Review security advisories from Chrome Releases Blog for related indicators
How to Mitigate CVE-2023-2721
Immediate Actions Required
- Update Google Chrome to version 113.0.5672.126 or later immediately
- Enable automatic updates for Chrome across all managed endpoints
- Review and update Chromium-based browsers (Edge, Brave, etc.) that may share the vulnerable code
- For Linux distributions, apply security updates from Debian, Fedora, or Gentoo package repositories
Patch Information
Google released Chrome version 113.0.5672.126 on May 16, 2023, which addresses this vulnerability. The fix is documented in the Chrome Stable Channel Update. Additional security advisories have been issued by various Linux distributions:
Workarounds
- Restrict access to untrusted websites using web filtering or proxy solutions
- Consider using browser isolation technologies for high-risk browsing activities
- Disable or limit JavaScript execution on untrusted sites using browser extensions
- Deploy network-level protections to block access to known malicious domains
# Verify Chrome version on Linux
google-chrome --version
# Force Chrome update check (run as user)
google-chrome --check-for-update-interval=0
# Debian/Ubuntu package update
sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade chromium
# Fedora package update
sudo dnf update chromium
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
