Google Chrome is one of the most popular web browsers in the world, but it is not without its vulnerabilities. This post will discuss the details of a recent security issue, CVE-2023-0129, a heap buffer overflow vulnerability found in the Network Service component of Google Chrome. This vulnerability has a high severity rating according to Chromium security assessments and affects Chrome versions prior to 109..5414.74.

Heap buffer overflow vulnerabilities occur when a program writes more data than a buffer can handle. This can lead to the corruption of adjacent memory, which could potentially be exploited by a malicious actor to execute arbitrary code or for information disclosure.

In the case of CVE-2023-0129, an attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability by convincing a user to install a malicious browser extension and then interacting with a specifically crafted HTML page. The potential impact of this issue is significant, as malicious browser extensions have the ability to access much of the user's browsing data and even execute arbitrary code.

Code Snippet

To demonstrate a simplified version of how this vulnerability could be triggered, let's take a look at the following code snippet:

// Simplified example of a Chrome Network Service heap buffer overflow vulnerability

void process_data(char* input_data) {
  char buffer[100];
  strcpy(buffer, input_data);
}

int main() {
  char malicious_input[200];
  // ... (Attacker sets up malicious data in malicious_input)
  process_data(malicious_input);
  return ;
}

In this example, the process_data() function copies input data to a buffer with a fixed size of 100 bytes. However, if the input data contains more than 100 bytes, a heap buffer overflow occurs, which can lead to potential exploitation.

Exploit Details

The specific interactions required to exploit this vulnerability involve navigating to a crafted HTML page that takes advantage of specific Chromium API calls when used with a malicious extension. By forcing a buffer overflow within Chrome's Network Service, an attacker could potentially corrupt the process heap and execute arbitrary code in the context of the vulnerable process.

Google has not disclosed any working exploits for this vulnerability, and there are no known public examples. The Chromium team has released a patch for this issue in version 109..5414.74.

For more information on CVE-2023-0129, you can refer to the following resources

- Google Chrome Release Notes: You can find information about the security fix for this vulnerability in Chrome 109..5414.74 release notes. Link
 - Chromium Bug Tracker: The Chromium Bug Tracker provides extensive details about the vulnerability and the subsequent patch. Link

To protect yourself from this vulnerability, follow these steps

1. Update Google Chrome: Ensure that you are using the latest version of Google Chrome to benefit from the most recent security patches. You can check your current version by navigating to "Settings > About Chrome." If an update is available, it will be available here.
 
2. Review Browser Extensions: Be cautious when installing new extensions, especially if they originate from untrusted sources. Make sure that you only install extensions from trusted sources or the official Chrome Web Store.

3. Stay Informed: Keep up-to-date on security bulletins and browser updates to ensure that your system and browser remain protected against vulnerabilities.

Conclusion

In summary, CVE-2023-0129 is a high-severity heap buffer overflow vulnerability found in Google Chrome's Network Service. Users should protect themselves by updating to the latest version of Google Chrome and being cautious when installing browser extensions. By understanding the details of this vulnerability and staying informed about security updates, you can help to safeguard your browsing experience and protect your digital security.

Timeline

Published on: 01/10/2023 20:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 01/13/2023 15:02:00 UTC