CVE-2023-2033
Google Chromium V8 Type Confusion Vulnerability
Description
CVE-2023-2033 is a high-severity type confusion vulnerability in the V8 JavaScript engine used by Google Chrome. Present in Chrome versions prior to 112.0.5615.121, this flaw allows a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption through a specially crafted HTML page, requiring user interaction in the form of visiting a malicious website. With a CVSS score of 8.8 and an EPSS score of 24.3% (96th percentile), CVE-2023-2033 poses a significant threat to users of Chrome and Chromium-based browsers. CISA has confirmed active exploitation in the wild and added this vulnerability to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, making immediate browser updates essential.
KEV Information
CVSS Score
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HOpen in CalculatorAffected Products
| Vendor | Product | Version |
|---|---|---|
| chrome | < 112.0.5615.121 | |
| debian | debian linux | 11.0 |
| fedoraproject | fedora | 36; 37; 38 |
| couchbase | couchbase server | < 7.1.5; 7.2.0 |
Multiple CVSS Assessments
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
References
- https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2023/04/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_14.html(Release Notes, Vendor Advisory)
- https://crbug.com/1432210(Permissions Required)
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[email protected]/message/4AOSGAOPXLBK4A5ZRTVZ4M6QKVLSWMWG/(Mailing List)
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[email protected]/message/ES2CDRHR2Y4WY6DNDIAPYZFXJU3ZBFAV/(Mailing List)
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[email protected]/message/FEJZMAUB4XP44HSHEBDWEKFGA7DUHY42/(Mailing List)
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[email protected]/message/IHHD6KNH4WLUE6JG6HRQZWNAJMHJ32X7/(Mailing List)
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[email protected]/message/RJQI63HWZFL6M26Q6UOHKDY6LD2PFC5Z/(Mailing List)
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[email protected]/message/SLO7BL2MHZYPY6O3OAEAQL3SKYMGGO6M/(Mailing List)
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202309-17(Third Party Advisory)
- https://www.couchbase.com/alerts/(Third Party Advisory)
- https://www.debian.org/security/2023/dsa-5390(Third Party Advisory)
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2023-2033(US Government Resource)
Weakness Type
CWE-843: Access of Resource Using Incompatible Type (Type Confusion)
In CVE-2023-2033, the type confusion weakness occurs in Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine, where a resource is accessed using an incompatible type. When V8 processes JavaScript code, it may incorrectly assume the type of an object, leading to operations being performed on memory using wrong type assumptions. In the context of this vulnerability, the type confusion in V8 causes heap corruption, which an attacker can exploit to achieve arbitrary code execution within the browser's renderer process.
Learn more: CWE-843 — Access of Resource Using Incompatible Type (Type Confusion)
Impact Analysis
CVE-2023-2033 carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.8 (High), reflecting a serious threat to browser security. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without requiring physical access, and the attack complexity is low, making exploitation reliable once a victim visits the malicious page. No authentication is required to launch the attack, though user interaction is needed — the target must navigate to or be redirected to an attacker-controlled web page. Confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts are all rated high, meaning a successful exploit can lead to arbitrary code execution, enabling the attacker to steal sensitive browser data, modify system files, or crash the browser and potentially the underlying system. The EPSS score of 24.3% (96th percentile) indicates a high probability of active exploitation, and CISA has confirmed in-the-wild exploitation, though ransomware association remains unknown. The broad attack surface — affecting Chrome, Chromium-based browsers, and embedded Chromium components in products like Couchbase Server — amplifies the risk.
Exploit Maturity
CISA has confirmed active exploitation of CVE-2023-2033 in the wild and added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog with a remediation deadline of May 8, 2023, indicating this vulnerability is being used in real attacks. The EPSS score of 24.3% (96th percentile) places this among the most likely vulnerabilities to be exploited, reflecting broad attacker interest in Chrome V8 type confusion bugs. While the Chromium bug tracker entry crbug.com/1432210 has restricted access to prevent exploitation details from being widely available, the confirmed in-the-wild exploitation demonstrates that threat actors have already developed working exploits. Ransomware association is currently unknown for this vulnerability.
Remediation
- Update Google Chrome immediately to version 112.0.5615.121 or later as directed by CISA: apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Chrome can be updated through Settings > About Chrome, which triggers an automatic download and installation of the latest version.
- Update all Chromium-based browsers and applications, including Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi, and embedded Chromium components. Debian Linux users should apply the patch from DSA-5390, Fedora users should install updates from the relevant package announcements, and Couchbase Server administrators should check the Couchbase alerts page for applicable patches.
- Enable automatic browser updates across the organization using endpoint management or group policy to ensure Chrome and Chromium-based browsers receive security updates without delay. For enterprise environments, configure Chrome Browser Cloud Management to enforce minimum version requirements.
- Implement browser isolation for high-risk users and activities to contain the impact of browser-based exploits. Web content isolation ensures that malicious pages are rendered in isolated environments, preventing type confusion exploits in V8 from affecting the host system.
- Monitor endpoints for indicators of compromise, including anomalous process behavior originating from browser processes, unexpected memory access patterns, and signs of heap corruption exploitation. Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions configured to detect V8-related exploitation techniques and browser sandbox escape attempts.
Technical Details
CVE-2023-2033 is a type confusion vulnerability (CWE-843) in the V8 JavaScript engine, which is Chrome's high-performance JavaScript and WebAssembly runtime. Type confusion occurs when V8's just-in-time (JIT) compiler incorrectly optimizes code by making wrong assumptions about the type of a JavaScript object, causing subsequent operations to treat a memory region as a different type than what it actually contains. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N) with low complexity (AC:L) and no privileges required (PR:N), though user interaction is required (UI:R) in the form of visiting a crafted HTML page. When the type confusion is triggered, it leads to heap corruption in the V8 engine's memory space, which an attacker can leverage to achieve arbitrary read/write primitives within the renderer process. This can be escalated to arbitrary code execution within the sandbox, and when chained with additional sandbox escape vulnerabilities, could lead to full system compromise. The broad deployment of V8 across Chrome, Chromium-based browsers, Node.js, and embedded Chromium in products like Couchbase Server creates a wide attack surface for this vulnerability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2023-2033 being actively exploited?
Yes, CVE-2023-2033 is actively exploited in the wild. CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog with a remediation deadline of May 8, 2023. The EPSS score of 24.3% (96th percentile) indicates high exploitation probability. While ransomware association is currently unknown, the widespread use of Chrome makes this a significant threat.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-2033?
CVE-2023-2033 affects Google Chrome versions prior to 112.0.5615.121 across all platforms. Debian Linux, Fedora, and Couchbase Server are also affected due to their use of Chromium components. Any browser or application built on the Chromium engine with the vulnerable V8 version is potentially impacted.
How do I fix CVE-2023-2033?
Update Google Chrome to version 112.0.5615.121 or later through the built-in update mechanism. For Linux distributions, apply the relevant security patches (Debian DSA-5390 or Fedora package updates). Also update Chromium-based browsers and check for Couchbase Server patches if applicable.
How severe is CVE-2023-2033?
CVE-2023-2033 is rated High with a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.8 out of 10. While user interaction is required (visiting a malicious page), no authentication is needed and the attack complexity is low. The EPSS score of 24.3% places it in the 96th percentile for exploitation likelihood, and all three impact metrics — confidentiality, integrity, and availability — are rated high.
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