CVE-2024-6776 Overview
CVE-2024-6776 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Audio component of Google Chrome versions prior to 126.0.6478.182. A remote attacker can exploit heap corruption by serving a crafted HTML page to a victim. Successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution within the renderer process. Google rated the Chromium security severity as High, and the vulnerability is tracked under [CWE-416].
Critical Impact
A remote attacker can trigger heap corruption in the Chrome renderer through a malicious web page, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution after user interaction.
Affected Products
- Google Chrome on Windows prior to 126.0.6478.182
- Google Chrome on macOS prior to 126.0.6478.182
- Google Chrome on Linux prior to 126.0.6478.182
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-07-16 - CVE-2024-6776 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2024-12-26 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-6776
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in the Audio component of Chromium, which handles audio stream processing inside the renderer process. A use-after-free condition occurs when the audio subsystem references memory that has already been deallocated. An attacker delivers a crafted HTML page that triggers the unsafe object lifecycle. The freed memory can then be reclaimed and controlled by attacker-influenced data, producing heap corruption.
Heap corruption in the renderer process is a common precursor to renderer code execution in Chromium. Combined with a sandbox escape, such bugs have historically enabled full browser compromise. The flaw requires user interaction, typically visiting a malicious site or a compromised page hosting attacker content. Refer to the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry for additional context.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper object lifetime management within Chromium's Audio code path, classified as [CWE-416] Use After Free. A pointer continues to reference an audio-related object after that object has been freed. Subsequent operations dereference the stale pointer, allowing attacker-controlled memory contents to influence program state.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based and requires user interaction. An attacker hosts or injects a crafted HTML page that exercises the vulnerable audio code paths through standard web APIs. When a user with an unpatched Chrome build loads the page, the use-after-free is triggered. Cross-origin delivery via advertisements, iframes, or compromised sites is feasible.
No public proof-of-concept exploit code has been associated with CVE-2024-6776. The vulnerability mechanism is described in prose because no verified exploit examples are available. Consult the Google Blog Chrome Update for vendor details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-6776
Indicators of Compromise
- Chrome renderer process crashes referencing audio modules or heap corruption signatures in crash dumps.
- Outbound connections from browser processes to newly registered or low-reputation domains shortly after page loads.
- Unexpected child processes spawned by chrome.exe following navigation to untrusted sites.
Detection Strategies
- Inventory Chrome versions across the fleet and flag any installation below 126.0.6478.182.
- Correlate browser crash telemetry with URLs visited immediately prior to the crash to identify drive-by exploitation attempts.
- Apply behavioral detections for post-exploitation activity such as unsigned binary execution or LOLBins launched from the browser process tree.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward Chrome crash reports and process telemetry to a centralized SIEM for cross-host correlation.
- Monitor EDR alerts for memory integrity violations in renderer processes.
- Track web proxy logs for repeated visits to URLs that precede browser instability across multiple endpoints.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-6776
Immediate Actions Required
- Update Google Chrome to version 126.0.6478.182 or later on all managed endpoints.
- Force-relaunch Chrome after the update to ensure the patched binary is loaded into memory.
- Validate update deployment through enterprise management tooling and audit version compliance.
Patch Information
Google released the fix in the Stable Channel update 126.0.6478.182 for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Administrators should distribute the patched build through Chrome Enterprise update policies, MDM, or software deployment tooling. See the Google Blog Chrome Update for release details and the Chromium Issue Tracker Entry for the upstream bug record.
Workarounds
- Restrict access to untrusted websites through enterprise web filtering until patches are applied.
- Enforce Site Isolation and Chrome's enhanced security policies via group policy to reduce exploitation surface.
- Disable or limit exposure of audio-related web features on high-risk endpoints where feasible.
# Verify the installed Chrome version on Linux endpoints
google-chrome --version
# Example Windows registry policy to enforce auto-update on the Stable channel
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Update" /v UpdateDefault /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
