CVE-2023-4860
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows a remote attacker who has already compromised Chrome's renderer process to escape the browser sandbox via a crafted HTML page. It affects Google Chrome versions prior to 115.0.5790.98. Users who haven't updated Chrome are vulnerable to this sandbox escape.
💻 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
Full system compromise: attacker gains full control of the victim's system by combining this sandbox escape with a renderer exploit.
Likely Case
Limited impact: requires chaining with another vulnerability to compromise renderer first, but successful exploitation leads to sandbox escape.
If Mitigated
No impact if Chrome is updated to patched version, as sandbox remains intact.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires first compromising the renderer process, then using this vulnerability for sandbox escape. No public exploit code available.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 115.0.5790.98 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2023/07/stable-channel-update-for-desktop.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 update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable JavaScript
allPrevents exploitation by disabling JavaScript execution, but breaks most web functionality.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict Chrome usage to trusted websites only.
- Use alternative browsers until Chrome can be updated.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Chrome version: if below 115.0.5790.98, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
chrome://version/ (in Chrome address bar) or 'google-chrome --version' (command line)Verify Fix Applied:
Verify Chrome version is 115.0.5790.98 or higher.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Chrome crash reports with sandbox-related errors
- Unexpected Chrome renderer process termination
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from Chrome processes
- Suspicious HTML page loads
SIEM Query:
Process creation where parent process is chrome.exe and child process has elevated privileges