CVE-2023-1533
📋 TL;DR
This is a use-after-free vulnerability in Chrome's WebProtect component that allows remote attackers to potentially exploit heap corruption via crafted HTML pages. Attackers could execute arbitrary code or cause browser crashes. All Chrome users prior to version 111.0.5563.110 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...
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⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to full system compromise, data theft, or malware installation.
Likely Case
Browser crashes, denial of service, or limited code execution within sandbox constraints.
If Mitigated
Browser crash with no data loss if sandboxing works properly.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires user to visit malicious website or view crafted HTML content. No authentication needed.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 111.0.5563.110 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2023/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_21.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' to restart Chrome with the fixed version.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable JavaScript
allPrevents execution of malicious JavaScript that could trigger the vulnerability
chrome://settings/content/javascript → Block
Use Site Isolation
allEnhances sandboxing to limit impact if exploited
chrome://flags/#site-isolation-trial-opt-out → Disabled
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict browser usage to trusted websites only
- Implement network filtering to block malicious content delivery
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Chrome version: chrome://version/ and verify if version is below 111.0.5563.110Check Version:
google-chrome --version (Linux) or check About Google Chrome in browserVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm Chrome version is 111.0.5563.110 or higher via chrome://version/📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Chrome crash reports
- Unexpected process terminations
- Memory access violation logs
Network Indicators:
- Requests to known malicious domains serving HTML content
- Unusual outbound connections after visiting websites
SIEM Query:
source="chrome" AND (event_type="crash" OR message="access violation")🔗 References
- https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2023/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_21.html
- https://crbug.com/1422183
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/FG3CRADL7IL5IHK4NCHG4LAYLKHFXETX/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/HO3QZY4UQFP4XNF43ILMVVOABMB7KAQ5/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/NGWWGQULJ7QRNP4GY57HE7OO7VMRWMPN/
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202309-17
- https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2023/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_21.html
- https://crbug.com/1422183
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/FG3CRADL7IL5IHK4NCHG4LAYLKHFXETX/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/HO3QZY4UQFP4XNF43ILMVVOABMB7KAQ5/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/NGWWGQULJ7QRNP4GY57HE7OO7VMRWMPN/
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202309-17
