CVE-2023-5852: Google Chrome Use After Free Vulnerability

CVE-2023-5852 Overview

CVE-2023-5852 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Printing component of Google Chrome prior to version 119.0.6045.105. This memory corruption flaw allows a remote attacker who convinces a user to engage in specific UI gestures to potentially exploit heap corruption. The vulnerability requires user interaction but can lead to serious consequences including arbitrary code execution within the browser context.

Critical Impact

Successful exploitation of this use-after-free vulnerability could allow attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data theft, or malware installation through a crafted web page.

Affected Products

• Google Chrome prior to version 119.0.6045.105
• Debian Linux 11.0 and 12.0
• Fedora 37, 38, and 39

Discovery Timeline

• 2023-11-01 - CVE-2023-5852 published to NVD
• 2025-04-29 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2023-5852

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-416 (Use After Free), a dangerous memory corruption issue that occurs when a program continues to reference memory after it has been freed. In the context of Chrome's Printing component, the vulnerability arises during specific UI interactions that trigger improper memory management.

When a user performs certain gestures related to printing functionality, the browser may access memory that has already been deallocated. This creates a window of opportunity for attackers to manipulate the freed memory region, potentially inserting malicious data that gets executed when the browser references the now-corrupted memory location.

The attack requires network access and user interaction, meaning an attacker must convince a victim to visit a malicious website and perform specific actions. Despite this requirement, the potential impact is severe as successful exploitation could compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2023-5852 lies in improper memory lifecycle management within Chrome's Printing subsystem. Specifically, the vulnerability occurs when:

1. A memory object related to printing operations is allocated
2. The object is freed during certain UI gesture sequences
3. The program maintains a dangling pointer to the freed memory
4. Subsequent operations attempt to use this invalidated reference

This pattern of use-after-free vulnerabilities is common in complex C++ codebases where object lifetimes can be difficult to track, especially across asynchronous UI operations.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2023-5852 involves network-based exploitation through a malicious web page. An attacker would need to:

1. Craft a malicious webpage that triggers the vulnerable code path in Chrome's Printing component
2. Entice a victim to visit the malicious page
3. Induce the victim to perform specific UI gestures (such as initiating or canceling print operations)
4. Leverage the heap corruption to execute arbitrary code

The vulnerability exploits the heap corruption that results from the use-after-free condition. By carefully controlling the memory layout and timing of allocations, an attacker could potentially overwrite critical data structures or function pointers, leading to code execution.

The exploitation mechanism involves triggering the printing-related UI gestures in a specific sequence that causes the browser to access freed memory containing attacker-controlled data. Technical details of the specific gestures required are documented in the Chromium Bug Report #1480852.

Detection Methods for CVE-2023-5852

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual browser crashes or instability during printing operations
• Unexpected memory access violations or heap corruption errors in Chrome crash reports
• Browser processes spawning unusual child processes after print-related activities
• Anomalous network connections originating from Chrome after visiting untrusted websites

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for Chrome versions prior to 119.0.6045.105 across your enterprise environment
• Implement browser version auditing through endpoint management solutions
• Enable Chrome's built-in crash reporting to capture heap corruption events
• Deploy SentinelOne's behavioral AI to detect anomalous browser process behavior indicative of exploitation

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure SIEM alerts for Chrome crash events with heap corruption signatures
• Monitor for unusual process creation chains originating from Chrome browser processes
• Track print spooler activity for anomalous behavior patterns
• Review Chrome enterprise policies to ensure automatic updates are enabled

How to Mitigate CVE-2023-5852

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Google Chrome to version 119.0.6045.105 or later immediately
• Enable automatic updates for Chrome across all managed endpoints
• Apply Debian security updates via DSA-5546 for Debian-based systems
• Update Fedora systems using the official package announcements

Patch Information

Google has addressed this vulnerability in Chrome version 119.0.6045.105, released on October 31, 2023. The fix corrects the memory lifecycle management in the Printing component to prevent use-after-free conditions.

Patch details are available in the Chrome Desktop Update Announcement.

For Linux distributions:

• Debian users should apply Debian Security Advisory DSA-5546
• Gentoo users can reference GLSA 202311-11, GLSA 202312-07, or GLSA 202401-34
• Fedora users should apply updates through the official Fedora package announcements

Workarounds

• Restrict access to untrusted websites until patches can be applied
• Consider disabling printing functionality through Chrome enterprise policies if not required
• Implement network-level controls to block known malicious domains
• Use browser isolation technologies for high-risk browsing activities

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

# Update Chrome on Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade google-chrome-stable

# Update Chrome on Fedora
sudo dnf update chromium