CVE-2022-0465
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a use-after-free vulnerability in Chrome's Extensions component that could allow heap corruption. Attackers could potentially exploit this to execute arbitrary code or cause browser crashes by tricking users into interacting with malicious content. All Chrome users prior to version 98.0.4758.80 are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Google Chrome
- Chromium-based browsers
📦 What is this software?
Chrome by Google
Google Chrome is the world's most popular web browser, used by over 3 billion users globally across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS platforms. As a Chromium-based browser developed by Google, Chrome dominates the browser market with approximately 65% market share, making it a critical compon...
Learn more about Chrome →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to full system compromise, data theft, or ransomware deployment.
Likely Case
Browser crash, denial of service, or limited code execution within Chrome's sandbox.
If Mitigated
No impact if Chrome is updated to patched version or if exploit attempts are blocked by security controls.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction (clicking, navigating). No public exploit code was found in references, but use-after-free vulnerabilities in browsers are frequently exploited.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 98.0.4758.80 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2022/02/stable-channel-update-for-desktop.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Chrome. 2. Click three-dot menu → Help → About Google Chrome. 3. Chrome will automatically check for and install updates. 4. Click 'Relaunch' when prompted to complete the update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Chrome Extensions
allTemporarily disable all extensions to reduce attack surface while waiting for patch.
chrome://extensions/ → toggle off all extensions
Use Chrome Sandboxing
allEnsure Chrome sandbox is enabled (default) to limit potential impact of exploitation.
Verify chrome://sandbox/ shows sandbox is enabled
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict web browsing to trusted sites only using proxy or firewall rules
- Implement application whitelisting to prevent execution of unknown processes
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Chrome version: if below 98.0.4758.80, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
On Windows/macOS/Linux: google-chrome --version or navigate to chrome://version/Verify Fix Applied:
Confirm Chrome version is 98.0.4758.80 or higher after update.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Chrome crash reports with extension-related errors
- Unexpected Chrome process termination
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from Chrome after visiting suspicious sites
SIEM Query:
source="chrome_logs" AND (event="crash" OR event="extension_error") AND version<"98.0.4758.80"