Google has up to date its Chrome browser to patch a high-severity zero-day vulnerability that permits attackers to execute malicious code on finish consumer gadgets. The repair marks the fifth time this yr the corporate has up to date the browser to guard customers from an current malicious exploit.
The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-4671, is a “use after free,” a category of bug that happens in C-based programming languages. In these languages, builders should allocate reminiscence area wanted to run sure functions or operations. They do that by utilizing “pointers” that retailer the reminiscence addresses the place the required knowledge will reside. As a result of this area is finite, reminiscence areas must be deallocated as soon as the applying or operation now not wants it.
Use-after-free bugs happen when the app or course of fails to clear the pointer after releasing the reminiscence location. In some circumstances, the pointer to the freed reminiscence is used once more and factors to a brand new reminiscence location storing malicious shellcode planted by an attacker’s exploit, a situation that can outcome within the execution of this code.
On Thursday, Google said an nameless supply notified it of the vulnerability. The vulnerability carries a severity ranking of 8.8 out of 10. In response, Google mentioned, it could be releasing variations 124.0.6367.201/.202 for macOS and Home windows and 124.0.6367.201 for Linux in subsequent days.
“Google is conscious that an exploit for CVE-2024-4671 exists within the wild,” the corporate mentioned.
Google didn’t present another particulars in regards to the exploit, corresponding to what platforms had been focused, who was behind the exploit, or what they had been utilizing it for.
Counting this newest vulnerability, Google has mounted 5 zero-days in Chrome to this point this yr. Three of the earlier ones had been utilized by researchers within the Pwn-to-Personal exploit contest. The remaining one was for a vulnerability for which an exploit was out there within the wild.
Chrome routinely updates when new releases turn into out there. Customers can power the replace or verify they’re operating the most recent model by going to Settings > About Chrome and checking the model and, if wanted, clicking on the Relaunch button.
