CVE-2023-2457
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows a remote attacker to trigger an out-of-bounds write in ChromeOS Audio Server by crafting a malicious audio file, potentially leading to heap corruption. It affects Google Chrome on ChromeOS devices running versions prior to 113.0.5672.114. Attackers could exploit this to execute arbitrary code or cause system crashes.
💻 Affected Systems
- Google Chrome on ChromeOS
📦 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 full system compromise, allowing attacker to install malware, steal data, or pivot to other systems.
Likely Case
System instability, crashes, or denial of service through heap corruption; potential for limited code execution in sandboxed context.
If Mitigated
No impact if patched; limited to denial of service if exploit attempts are blocked by security controls.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction to open a crafted audio file; no public exploit code is known.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 113.0.5672.114 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2023/05/stable-channel-update-for-chromeos.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open ChromeOS settings. 2. Navigate to 'About ChromeOS'. 3. Click 'Check for updates'. 4. Install any available updates. 5. Restart the device when prompted.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable automatic audio file processing
allPrevent automatic opening of audio files from untrusted sources.
Use network filtering
allBlock suspicious audio file downloads at network perimeter.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate affected ChromeOS devices from critical networks and internet access.
- Implement application allowlisting to block execution of untrusted audio files.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check ChromeOS version in settings: Settings > About ChromeOS > Detailed build information.Check Version:
cat /etc/lsb-releaseVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm ChromeOS version is 113.0.5672.114 or higher after update.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- ChromeOS crash reports related to audio server (crashes in 'cras' service)
- Unusual audio file processing events in system logs
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected downloads of audio files from untrusted sources
- Network traffic spikes to/from ChromeOS devices
SIEM Query:
source="chromeos" AND (event="crash" AND process="audio_server" OR file_type="audio" AND action="download")