CVE-2024-1673 Overview
CVE-2024-1673 is a use-after-free vulnerability [CWE-416] in the Accessibility component of Google Chrome versions prior to 122.0.6261.57. A remote attacker who has already compromised the renderer process can trigger heap corruption through specific user interface gestures. Successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution within the browser process, potentially enabling sandbox escape when chained with additional flaws. The flaw affects desktop Chrome installations and downstream distributions, including Fedora 38 and Fedora 39 packages.
Critical Impact
Attackers chaining this issue with a renderer compromise can corrupt heap memory through Accessibility UI interactions, leading to potential arbitrary code execution in a higher-privileged browser process.
Affected Products
- Google Chrome versions prior to 122.0.6261.57
- Fedora 38 (chromium package)
- Fedora 39 (chromium package)
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-02-21 - CVE-2024-1673 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-1673
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in Chrome's Accessibility subsystem, which exposes the rendered page structure to assistive technologies. The component manages object lifetimes across the renderer and browser processes. Specific UI gestures cause an Accessibility object to be freed while a dangling reference is still retained. Subsequent dereferencing of that reference results in a use-after-free condition and heap corruption.
An attacker must first compromise the renderer process, typically through a separate memory safety issue in the rendering engine or JavaScript engine. The Accessibility flaw then provides a path from the sandboxed renderer toward the browser process, where stronger privileges are available. Heap corruption primitives gained through this flaw can be shaped into arbitrary write conditions used for control-flow hijacking.
The vulnerability is tracked under the Chromium Issue Tracker as issue 41490491 and was addressed in the stable channel update for desktop dated February 20, 2024.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper lifetime management within the Accessibility tree implementation. An object referenced by ongoing UI gesture handling is released by another execution path, leaving stale pointers. The bug class is classic Use After Free [CWE-416], where freed memory is reused without re-validating ownership.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires network-delivered content combined with user interaction such as visiting a malicious page or activating a crafted UI element. The attacker first triggers a renderer compromise, then invokes the Accessibility gesture sequence that causes the dangling reference. See the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry and the Google Chrome Desktop Update for vendor details.
No verified public proof-of-concept is available for CVE-2024-1673.
Refer to the Chromium Issue Tracker entry 41490491 for technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-1673
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected child processes spawned by chrome.exe or chromium outside normal helper process patterns.
- Browser crashes referencing Accessibility components in crash dumps or chrome_crashpad_handler logs.
- Outbound connections from Chrome processes to uncategorized or newly registered domains immediately following a page load.
Detection Strategies
- Inventory Chrome and Chromium versions across endpoints and flag any build older than 122.0.6261.57.
- Monitor process integrity for the Chrome browser process for unexpected memory regions marked executable.
- Correlate browser crash telemetry with subsequent suspicious process or file activity within a short time window.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward browser version and patch state into the asset inventory for continuous compliance tracking.
- Enable enterprise reporting through Chrome Browser Cloud Management to capture crash and extension telemetry.
- Alert on Chrome processes loading unsigned modules or performing unexpected token manipulation.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-1673
Immediate Actions Required
- Update Google Chrome to version 122.0.6261.57 or later on Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints.
- Apply Fedora chromium updates referenced in the Fedora 38 advisory and Fedora 39 advisory.
- Restart browsers after patch deployment to ensure the updated binary is loaded.
Patch Information
Google released Chrome 122.0.6261.57 for the stable desktop channel on February 20, 2024. The release notes are published in the Google Chrome Desktop Update. Fedora published corresponding chromium package updates for Fedora 38 and Fedora 39 through the package-announce mailing list.
Workarounds
- Enforce automatic Chrome updates through enterprise policy to remove version drift across managed endpoints.
- Restrict access to untrusted sites using DNS filtering or secure web gateway policies until patches are fully deployed.
- Limit installation of unvetted browser extensions that may broaden the renderer attack surface.
# Verify installed Chrome version on Linux
google-chrome --version
# Update chromium on Fedora
sudo dnf upgrade --refresh chromium
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
