CVE-2023-2723 – This is a use-after-free vulnerability in Chrom... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2023-2723?

CVE-2023-2723 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (HIGH). This is a use-after-free vulnerability in Chrome DevTools that allows a remote attacker who has already compromised the renderer process to potentially exploit heap corruption. Attackers could execute arbitrary code or cause browser crashes by tricking users into visiting a malicious webpage. All Chrome users prior to version 113.0.5672.126 are affected.

📋 TL;DR

This is a use-after-free vulnerability in Chrome DevTools that allows a remote attacker who has already compromised the renderer process to potentially exploit heap corruption. Attackers could execute arbitrary code or cause browser crashes by tricking users into visiting a malicious webpage. All Chrome users prior to version 113.0.5672.126 are affected.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Google Chrome
Chromium-based browsers

Versions: All versions prior to 113.0.5672.126

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

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Requires renderer process compromise first, typically via another vulnerability or malicious extension.

📦 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 the browser sandbox.

🟢

If Mitigated

No impact if Chrome is fully patched or if renderer process compromise hasn't occurred.

🌐 Internet-Facing: HIGH

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ⚠️ Yes

Complexity: MEDIUM

Exploitation requires chaining with another vulnerability to compromise renderer process first.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: 113.0.5672.126 and later

Vendor Advisory: https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2023/05/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_16.html

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Open Chrome 2. Click three-dot menu → Help → About Google Chrome 3. Allow update to download and install 4. Click 'Relaunch' when prompted

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable DevTools

all

Prevents exploitation by disabling the vulnerable component

Not applicable - disable via Chrome flags or enterprise policies

Disable JavaScript

all

Reduces attack surface by disabling JavaScript execution

Not applicable - configure via Chrome settings

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Use alternative browser temporarily
Implement network filtering to block malicious sites

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check Chrome version in Settings → About Chrome

Check Version:

google-chrome --version (Linux) or chrome://version (all platforms)

Verify Fix Applied:

Confirm version is 113.0.5672.126 or higher

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Chrome crash reports
Renderer process termination events
Unusual DevTools activity

Network Indicators:

Connections to known malicious domains hosting exploit code

SIEM Query:

source="chrome_crash_reports" AND version<"113.0.5672.126"

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2023-2723

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: May 16, 2023

Last Updated: May 5, 2025

🔗 References

https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2023/05/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_16.html Release Notes
https://crbug.com/1435166 Permissions Required
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/73XUIHJ6UT75VFPDPLJOXJON7MVIKVZI/ Mailing List
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/FXFL4TDAH72PRCPD5UPZMJMKIMVOPLTI/ Mailing List
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202309-17 Third Party Advisory
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202311-11
https://www.debian.org/security/2023/dsa-5404 Third Party Advisory
https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2023/05/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_16.html Release Notes
https://crbug.com/1435166 Permissions Required
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/73XUIHJ6UT75VFPDPLJOXJON7MVIKVZI/ Mailing List
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/FXFL4TDAH72PRCPD5UPZMJMKIMVOPLTI/ Mailing List
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202309-17 Third Party Advisory
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202311-11
https://www.debian.org/security/2023/dsa-5404 Third Party Advisory

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🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

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