CVE-2023-5186: Use After Free Vulnerability in Google Chrome Passwords - Exploit Details, Code Snippets, and References

A new vulnerability, CVE-2023-5186, has been discovered in the password management system in Google Chrome prior to version 117..5938.132. This vulnerability is classified by Chromium security as "High" severity. It involves a use-after-free (UAF) issue that allows remote attackers to exploit heap corruption and potentially take control of the system. This post provides an in-depth look at the exploit, including code snippets, links to original references, and details of the issue.

Exploit Details

The CVE-2023-5186 vulnerability is a use-after-free issue related to the password management feature in Google Chrome. The problem occurs when a remote attacker manages to convince a user to engage in specific UI interaction leading to heap corruption. The attacker then can take advantage of this corruption to potentially compromise the user's system.

Specifically, the vulnerability exists because the browser may use a reference to a memory object that has been freed or deleted. Using this reference after the object has been deleted can lead to heap corruption, allowing attackers to manipulate data and gain control over the user's system.

The following code snippet demonstrates the problematic scenario

// ... some code that creates the password object
var pwObject = getPasswordObject();

// ... user interaction that deletes the password object
deletePasswordObject(pwObject);

// ... interacting with the deleted password object (UAF issue)
var userData = pwObject.getUserData();

In this example, the getPasswordObject function might refer to the password management object in Chrome, while deletePasswordObject simulates the action to delete the password object, and the getUserData function retrieves the password information from the object. This code snippet exposes the vulnerability, as it attempts to retrieve data from a deleted object, leading to heap corruption.

Original References and Links

1. Google Chrome Release Announcement: https://chromiumdash.appspot.com/schedule
2. Chromium Security Severity Levels: https://www.chromium.org/developers/severity-guidelines
3. CVE-2023-5186 NVD Entry: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-5186

Recommendations and Mitigations

To protect yourself from the CVE-2023-5186 vulnerability, it is strongly recommended that you update your Google Chrome browser to the latest version (117..5938.132 or later). This can be done by navigating to the "About Google Chrome" page under the browser's settings and clicking on the "Check for updates" button.

Conclusion

The recent discovery of CVE-2023-5186 in Google Chrome password management system demonstrates the importance of keeping software up-to-date. This use-after-free vulnerability poses a high risk and requires prompt action to mitigate potential threats. By understanding the details of this issue, including code snippets and original references, users can better protect their systems and information. Always ensure your software is updated to the latest version and follow security best practices to minimize the risk of attacks.

Timeline

Published on: 09/28/2023 16:15:10 UTC
Last modified on: 10/12/2023 02:46:12 UTC