CVE-2022-1125 – This is a use-after-free vulnerability in Googl... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2022-1125?

CVE-2022-1125 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (HIGH). This is a use-after-free vulnerability in Google Chrome's Portals feature that could allow remote attackers to exploit heap corruption through specific user interaction. Attackers could potentially execute arbitrary code or cause browser crashes by convincing users to interact with malicious web content. All Chrome users prior to version 100.0.4896.60 are affected.

📋 TL;DR

This is a use-after-free vulnerability in Google Chrome's Portals feature that could allow remote attackers to exploit heap corruption through specific user interaction. Attackers could potentially execute arbitrary code or cause browser crashes by convincing users to interact with malicious web content. All Chrome users prior to version 100.0.4896.60 are affected.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Google Chrome
Chromium-based browsers

Versions: All versions prior to 100.0.4896.60

Operating Systems: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Portals feature must be enabled/used for exploitation, but this is common in modern web applications

📦 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 malware installation

🟠

Likely Case

Browser crash, denial of service, or limited code execution within Chrome's sandbox

🟢

If Mitigated

Browser crash only, with Chrome's sandbox preventing system compromise

🌐 Internet-Facing: HIGH - Exploitable via malicious websites or ads that users visit

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Requires user interaction with malicious content, which could come from internal sources

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ⚠️ Yes

Complexity: MEDIUM

Requires specific user interaction to trigger, making exploitation less trivial than drive-by attacks

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: 100.0.4896.60 and later

Vendor Advisory: https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2022/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_29.html

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Open Chrome and click the three-dot menu 2. Go to Help > About Google Chrome 3. Chrome will automatically check for and install updates 4. Click 'Relaunch' to restart Chrome with the patched version

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable Portals feature

all

Disable the experimental Portals feature via Chrome flags

chrome://flags/#enable-portals
Set to 'Disabled'

Use alternative browser

all

Temporarily use a non-Chromium browser until patched

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Implement web filtering to block known malicious sites
Enable Chrome's Enhanced Safe Browsing and site isolation features

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check Chrome version via chrome://settings/help or 'About Google Chrome'

Check Version:

google-chrome --version (Linux) or check via chrome://version

Verify Fix Applied:

Confirm Chrome version is 100.0.4896.60 or higher

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Chrome crash reports
Unexpected process termination logs
Security event logs showing exploit attempts

Network Indicators:

Traffic to known exploit domains
Unusual outbound connections after visiting websites

SIEM Query:

source="chrome_logs" AND (event="crash" OR event="process_termination") AND version<"100.0.4896.60"

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2022-1125

CVSS v3 Score: 8.8 (HIGH)

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CWE: CWE-416

Published: July 23, 2022

Last Updated: November 21, 2024

🔗 References

https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2022/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_29.html Release Notes,Vendor Advisory
https://crbug.com/1292261 Exploit,Issue Tracking,Patch,Vendor Advisory
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202208-25 Third Party Advisory
https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2022/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_29.html Release Notes,Vendor Advisory
https://crbug.com/1292261 Exploit,Issue Tracking,Patch,Vendor Advisory
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202208-25 Third Party Advisory

📤 Share & Export

📄 Export Markdown 📋 Export JSON

🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

If you're affected by CVE-2022-1125, you might also want to check these: