CVE-2022-0978
📋 TL;DR
This is a use-after-free vulnerability in ANGLE (Almost Native Graphics Layer Engine) component of Google Chrome that allows remote attackers to potentially exploit heap corruption. Attackers can trigger this by tricking users into visiting a malicious HTML page, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution. All Chrome users prior to version 99.0.4844.74 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 with the privileges of the Chrome process, potentially leading to full system compromise if combined with privilege escalation vulnerabilities.
Likely Case
Browser crash (denial of service) or limited code execution within Chrome's sandbox, potentially allowing data theft or further exploitation.
If Mitigated
Browser crash with no data compromise if sandboxing holds, or blocked exploit attempt if security controls detect malicious activity.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction (visiting malicious page) and bypassing Chrome's sandbox for full impact.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 99.0.4844.74 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2022/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_15.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Chrome menu > Help > About Google Chrome. 2. Chrome will automatically check for and apply updates. 3. Click 'Relaunch' when prompted to restart Chrome with the updated version.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable WebGL
allDisables ANGLE functionality by turning off WebGL, which may break some websites but prevents exploitation.
chrome://flags/#disable-webgl
Set to 'Disabled'
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Use alternative browsers until Chrome can be updated
- Implement network filtering to block malicious websites and restrict internet browsing
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Chrome version in menu > Help > About Google Chrome. If version is below 99.0.4844.74, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
google-chrome --version (Linux) or chrome://version (all platforms)Verify Fix Applied:
Confirm Chrome version is 99.0.4844.74 or higher after update.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Chrome crash reports with ANGLE-related stack traces
- Unexpected Chrome process termination
Network Indicators:
- Requests to known malicious domains hosting exploit code
- Unusual outbound connections after visiting suspicious sites
SIEM Query:
process_name="chrome.exe" AND (event_id=1000 OR event_id=1001) AND message CONTAINS "ANGLE"🔗 References
- https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2022/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_15.html
- https://crbug.com/1299264
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202208-25
- https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2022/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_15.html
- https://crbug.com/1299264
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202208-25
