CVE-2023-2725: Google Chrome Use After Free Vulnerability

CVE-2023-2725 Overview

CVE-2023-2725 is a use-after-free vulnerability [CWE-416] in the Guest View component of Google Chrome prior to version 113.0.5672.126. An attacker who convinces a user to install a malicious extension can trigger heap corruption through a crafted HTML page. Successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution within the renderer process. Google's Chromium team rated the underlying defect as High severity. The flaw affects Chrome on all desktop platforms and downstream distributions including Debian and Fedora Linux.

Critical Impact
Exploitation enables heap corruption and potential arbitrary code execution in the browser process after a user installs a malicious extension and visits a crafted page.

Affected Products

Google Chrome versions prior to 113.0.5672.126
Debian Linux 11 (Chromium package)
Fedora 37 and Fedora 38 (Chromium package)

Discovery Timeline

2023-05-16 - CVE-2023-2725 published to NVD and Google releases stable channel update 113.0.5672.126
2025-05-05 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2023-2725

Vulnerability Analysis

The defect resides in Chrome's Guest View subsystem, which manages embedded <webview> and similar guest content used heavily by extensions and Chrome Apps. A use-after-free condition occurs when code retains a pointer to a Guest View object after that object has been freed. Subsequent operations on the dangling pointer cause the renderer to read or write attacker-influenced memory. The attack requires user interaction in two forms: installing a malicious extension and then loading or being navigated to a crafted HTML page. Once exploited, the attacker can corrupt the heap inside the renderer process and chain the primitive toward code execution.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper object lifetime management in the Guest View implementation. A Guest View instance is released while another component still holds a reference. When that stale reference is dereferenced, the freed slot may have been reallocated with attacker-controlled data, producing a controlled type confusion or virtual call hijack on the heap.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based with required user interaction. The adversary publishes or sideloads a malicious Chrome extension. After installation, the extension or a page it influences loads a crafted HTML document that exercises the Guest View lifecycle to trigger the freed-object reuse. No additional privileges beyond the extension's granted permissions are required.

// No verified public exploit code is available for CVE-2023-2725.
// See Chromium bug 1442516 for restricted technical details once disclosed.

Detection Methods for CVE-2023-2725

Indicators of Compromise

Chrome renderer process crashes referencing Guest View or WebViewGuest in crash dumps shortly after a new extension is loaded.
Recently installed extensions from unverified publishers or sideloaded .crx files outside of the Chrome Web Store.
Outbound connections from chrome.exe child processes to attacker-controlled domains immediately after extension installation.

Detection Strategies

Inventory installed Chrome extensions across the fleet and compare versions and publishers against an allowlist.
Alert on Chrome browser versions below 113.0.5672.126 reported by endpoint telemetry or asset inventory.
Monitor for unsigned or developer-mode extensions being loaded via the --load-extension command-line flag.

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward Chrome crash reports and process telemetry to a central data lake for correlation with extension install events.
Track creation of unexpected child processes from chrome.exe and flag execution of cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or shell binaries spawned by the browser.
Use enterprise browser policies to log extension installation events to SIEM.

How to Mitigate CVE-2023-2725

Immediate Actions Required

Update Google Chrome to 113.0.5672.126 or later on all Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints.
Apply the Debian DSA-5404 update for Chromium on Debian 11 systems.
Apply the Fedora package-announce updates for Fedora 37 and 38.
Audit and remove unapproved or unknown extensions from managed browsers.

Patch Information

Google fixed the issue in the Chrome stable channel release announced on 2023-05-16. See the Google Chrome Stable Channel Update, the Chromium Bug Report #1442516, the Debian Security Advisory DSA-5404, Gentoo GLSA 202309-17, and Gentoo GLSA 202311-11.

Workarounds

Enforce an extension allowlist via Chrome Enterprise policy using ExtensionInstallAllowlist and ExtensionInstallBlocklist.
Disable developer mode and block sideloaded extensions on managed devices.
Restrict extension installation to the Chrome Web Store and require administrator approval for new additions.

bash

# Chrome Enterprise policy example (Linux JSON policy)
# /etc/opt/chrome/policies/managed/extension_controls.json
{
  "ExtensionInstallBlocklist": ["*"],
  "ExtensionInstallAllowlist": [
    "cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm"
  ],
  "DeveloperToolsAvailability": 2,
  "BlockExternalExtensions": true
}