CVE-2024-5157: Google Chrome Use-After-Free Vulnerability

CVE-2024-5157 Overview

CVE-2024-5157 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Scheduling component of Google Chrome prior to version 125.0.6422.76. This memory corruption flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code within Chrome's sandbox environment by enticing users to visit a specially crafted HTML page. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management in the Scheduling subsystem, where freed memory can be referenced after deallocation.

Critical Impact

Remote code execution within the browser sandbox through malicious web content, potentially enabling further exploitation or sandbox escape when chained with additional vulnerabilities.

Affected Products

• Google Chrome versions prior to 125.0.6422.76
• Fedora Project Fedora 39
• Fedora Project Fedora 40

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-05-22 - CVE-2024-5157 published to NVD
• 2025-03-27 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-5157

Vulnerability Analysis

This use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) exists within Chrome's Scheduling component, which manages task scheduling and execution within the browser. Use-after-free vulnerabilities occur when a program continues to use a pointer after the memory it references has been freed, leading to undefined behavior that attackers can exploit for code execution.

In this case, the vulnerability requires user interaction—specifically, a victim must navigate to an attacker-controlled webpage containing malicious HTML content. The attack is network-accessible with low complexity, meaning no prior authentication or special conditions are required beyond user interaction. While exploitation results in code execution within Chrome's sandbox environment, this still represents a significant security risk as it provides a foothold for further attacks or data exfiltration.

Root Cause

The root cause lies in improper memory lifecycle management within Chrome's Scheduling subsystem. When certain scheduled tasks are processed, the code may reference memory regions that have already been deallocated. This dangling pointer condition allows attackers to manipulate the freed memory region with controlled data, potentially hijacking program execution flow when the freed memory is subsequently accessed.

Attack Vector

The attack is delivered via a network-based vector requiring user interaction. An attacker would craft a malicious HTML page designed to trigger the vulnerable code path in Chrome's Scheduling component. When a victim visits this page, the use-after-free condition is triggered, allowing the attacker to:

1. Allocate controlled data in the freed memory region
2. Trigger the use-after-free access
3. Execute arbitrary code within Chrome's sandbox context

The vulnerability can be exploited through drive-by download scenarios, phishing campaigns, or compromised websites serving malicious content.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-5157

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual Chrome process behavior or unexpected child process spawning
• Browser crashes or instability when visiting specific websites
• Memory access violations logged in system crash reports
• Suspicious network connections originating from Chrome processes after visiting unknown sites

Detection Strategies

• Monitor Chrome version deployments across endpoints and flag systems running versions prior to 125.0.6422.76
• Implement browser-based threat detection to identify malicious JavaScript or HTML payloads targeting memory corruption vulnerabilities
• Deploy endpoint detection rules to identify anomalous behavior from Chrome renderer processes
• Analyze crash dumps and error reports for patterns consistent with use-after-free exploitation

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable Chrome's built-in security telemetry and crash reporting to identify potential exploitation attempts
• Monitor for unusual memory allocation patterns in browser processes
• Track Chrome update compliance across the organization to ensure timely patching
• Implement network-level inspection for known malicious payload signatures

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-5157

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Google Chrome to version 125.0.6422.76 or later immediately on all endpoints
• Enable automatic updates for Chrome to ensure future security patches are applied promptly
• For Fedora users, apply the latest package updates from the official repositories
• Consider restricting access to untrusted websites until patching is complete

Patch Information

Google has released a security update addressing this vulnerability in Chrome version 125.0.6422.76. The fix was announced in the Google Chrome Stable Channel Update on May 21, 2024. Additional technical details are available in the Chromium Issue Tracker.

Fedora users should apply updates from the official package announcements for Fedora 39 and Fedora 40.

Workarounds

• Implement strict content security policies and site isolation settings in Chrome
• Use endpoint protection solutions with browser exploit mitigation capabilities
• Consider using browser isolation technologies for high-risk browsing activities
• Disable JavaScript execution on untrusted sites using browser extensions or enterprise policies

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

# Update Chrome on Fedora
sudo dnf update chromium

# Force Chrome update check (Windows)
# Navigate to chrome://settings/help to trigger update