CVE-2024-1669 Overview
CVE-2024-1669 is an out-of-bounds memory access vulnerability in the Blink rendering engine of Google Chrome. The flaw affects Chrome versions prior to 122.0.6261.57 and allows a remote attacker to trigger out-of-bounds memory access by serving a crafted HTML page to a victim. Google rated the Chromium security severity as High. The issue is also tracked in Fedora 38 and Fedora 39 distributions that ship affected Chromium builds. The vulnerability maps to CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write) and CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read).
Critical Impact
A remote attacker can exploit this issue by enticing a user to visit a malicious web page, potentially leading to memory corruption inside the renderer process and compromising browser integrity.
Affected Products
- Google Chrome versions prior to 122.0.6261.57
- Fedora 38 (Chromium packages)
- Fedora 39 (Chromium packages)
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-02-21 - CVE-2024-1669 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2024-12-19 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-1669
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in Blink, the rendering engine that parses HTML, applies CSS, and executes layout logic inside the Chrome renderer process. An attacker controls input through a crafted HTML page that drives Blink into reading or writing memory outside the bounds of an allocated buffer. The flaw requires user interaction in the form of visiting the malicious page. Successful exploitation occurs within the sandboxed renderer, but memory corruption in Blink has historically been chained with sandbox escapes to achieve broader compromise. The current EPSS probability is 0.344%, indicating a low statistical likelihood of exploitation activity at this time.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper bounds checking in Blink when processing attacker-supplied HTML content. The relevant Chromium issue is tracked at Chromium Issue 41495060. Out-of-bounds access in a rendering engine commonly stems from incorrect length calculations, missing validation of index variables, or unsafe pointer arithmetic during DOM and layout operations. The defect was classified under both CWE-787 and CWE-125, reflecting the dual read and write nature of the access violation.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based and requires user interaction. An attacker hosts a crafted HTML document on a controlled site or injects it through a compromised third-party resource. When a victim opens the page in a vulnerable Chrome build, Blink processes the content and triggers the out-of-bounds access. Phishing emails, malicious advertisements, and watering-hole pages are common delivery mechanisms for browser exploitation chains.
No public proof-of-concept code is associated with this CVE. Refer to the Google Chrome Stable Update advisory for vendor-supplied technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-1669
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected Chrome renderer process crashes correlated with visits to untrusted domains
- Browser telemetry showing repeated renderer terminations or SIGSEGV events tied to Blink modules
- Outbound connections from chrome.exe to newly registered or low-reputation domains following a crash event
Detection Strategies
- Inventory Chrome installations across endpoints and flag any version below 122.0.6261.57 for prioritized remediation
- Monitor process telemetry for abnormal child process creation from Chrome renderer processes, which can indicate post-exploitation activity
- Correlate web proxy logs with browser crash events to identify URLs delivering crafted HTML payloads
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose browser crash reporting and forward dumps to a central analysis pipeline
- Deploy EDR rules that alert on Chrome spawning unexpected interpreters such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or bash
- Track DNS and HTTP traffic for known malicious advertising networks and exploit kit infrastructure
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-1669
Immediate Actions Required
- Update Google Chrome to version 122.0.6261.57 or later on all managed endpoints
- For Fedora 38 and 39 systems, apply Chromium updates referenced in the Fedora package announcement
- Restart browser sessions after updating to ensure the patched binary is loaded into memory
Patch Information
Google released the fix in the Stable channel update on February 20, 2024. The patched version is Chrome 122.0.6261.57 for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Details are published in the Chrome Releases blog. Fedora users should consult the second Fedora package announcement for distribution-specific update instructions.
Workarounds
- Enforce browser auto-update policies through enterprise management tools to ensure timely deployment of Chrome security updates
- Restrict access to untrusted websites using DNS filtering or secure web gateways while patches are rolled out
- Apply site isolation and strict sandboxing policies to limit the blast radius of renderer-level compromise
# Verify the installed Chrome version on Linux
google-chrome --version
# Update Chromium on Fedora
sudo dnf update chromium
# Windows administrative check via PowerShell
(Get-Item "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe").VersionInfo.ProductVersion
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
