CVE-2024-4559: Google Chrome Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2024-4559 Overview

CVE-2024-4559 is a heap buffer overflow vulnerability in the WebAudio component of Google Chrome prior to version 124.0.6367.155. This memory corruption flaw allows a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page, leading to denial of service or other impacts. The vulnerability was classified with high severity by the Chromium security team.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can trigger heap corruption through malicious web pages, potentially causing browser crashes or enabling further exploitation through memory corruption.

Affected Products

• Google Chrome versions prior to 124.0.6367.155
• Fedora 38 (via Chromium package)
• Fedora 39 (via Chromium package)
• Fedora 40 (via Chromium package)

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-05-07 - CVE-2024-4559 published to NVD
• 2024-12-19 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-4559

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is a heap buffer overflow (CWE-122/CWE-787) affecting the WebAudio API implementation in Google Chrome. The WebAudio API provides advanced audio processing capabilities for web applications, including real-time audio synthesis and manipulation. The flaw exists in how Chrome handles audio data buffers within this component.

Heap buffer overflows occur when a program writes data beyond the allocated boundaries of a heap memory buffer. In this case, improper bounds checking in the WebAudio processing routines allows an attacker to corrupt adjacent heap memory structures. This can result in denial of service through browser crashes, and in worst-case scenarios, could potentially be leveraged for code execution.

The vulnerability is exploitable remotely through the network, requiring user interaction (visiting a malicious webpage). No authentication is required to trigger the vulnerability.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper bounds checking in the WebAudio component's memory handling routines. When processing specially crafted audio data through the WebAudio API, the code fails to properly validate buffer sizes before writing data, allowing writes beyond allocated heap buffer boundaries. This is classified as an out-of-bounds write vulnerability (CWE-787) and more specifically a heap-based buffer overflow (CWE-122).

Attack Vector

The attack requires a victim to visit a malicious website containing specially crafted HTML and JavaScript that abuses the WebAudio API. The attacker constructs audio processing nodes and data that trigger the overflow condition when processed by the vulnerable Chrome browser.

The attack flow involves:

1. Victim navigates to attacker-controlled webpage
2. Malicious JavaScript initializes WebAudio API contexts and nodes
3. Crafted audio data is processed through vulnerable code paths
4. Heap buffer overflow is triggered, corrupting adjacent memory
5. Browser crash occurs (denial of service), or further exploitation may be possible

The vulnerability is exploited through carefully constructed audio processing operations that cause the browser's WebAudio implementation to write beyond allocated buffer boundaries. For detailed technical information, refer to the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-4559

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected Chrome browser crashes, particularly when visiting unfamiliar websites
• Chrome crash reports indicating heap corruption in WebAudio-related components
• Process memory anomalies detected by endpoint protection solutions
• Suspicious JavaScript executing WebAudio API calls on untrusted websites

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for Chrome browser crash events with heap corruption signatures
• Implement web filtering to block known malicious domains serving exploit code
• Deploy browser isolation solutions to contain potential exploitation attempts
• Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to identify suspicious browser behavior

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable Chrome crash reporting and review crash dumps for WebAudio-related stack traces
• Monitor network traffic for suspicious web content patterns targeting browser vulnerabilities
• Configure SIEM alerts for browser-based exploitation indicators
• Review browser update compliance across the enterprise to ensure vulnerable versions are identified

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-4559

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Google Chrome to version 124.0.6367.155 or later immediately
• Enable automatic updates for Chrome to receive future security patches promptly
• Update Fedora systems using the official package announcements to receive patched Chromium packages
• Consider enabling Chrome's site isolation features for additional protection

Patch Information

Google has released a security update addressing this vulnerability in Chrome version 124.0.6367.155. The fix was announced on May 7, 2024, through the Google Chrome Update Blog.

Fedora users should update their systems using the standard package management tools. Security updates are available for Fedora 38, 39, and 40 as documented in the Fedora Package Announcements.

Workarounds

• Disable JavaScript on untrusted websites using browser extensions or policies until patching is complete
• Implement browser isolation solutions to contain potential exploit attempts
• Use enterprise browser management to restrict access to high-risk websites
• Consider deploying web application firewalls to filter potentially malicious content

# Check Chrome version (ensure 124.0.6367.155 or later)
google-chrome --version

# Force Chrome update on Linux
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade google-chrome-stable

# Fedora update command
sudo dnf update chromium