CriticalCVE-2023-3079

    Google Chromium V8 Type Confusion Vulnerability (CVE-2023-3079)

    Published Last modified In CISA KEV since Sources: SingCERT, Debian, pwn.watch, CVE.org

    What is affected, what to do

    Type confusion in V8 in Google Chrome prior to 114.0.5735.110 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)

    The vulnerability is being actively exploited; treat it as a priority. The available sources name no fixed version. Check the vendor guidance in the references below. Immediate actions, mitigation and detection rules are in the runbook below.

    Conflicting version data — version display is hidden until the data is resolved.

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    Metrics

    8.8

    Priority

    XIEM Effective CVSS: highest available CVSS rating from NVD and vendor data.

    Source: NVD, CVSS v3

    8.8

    CVSS v3

    Severity High on the scale from 0 to 10.

    Source: SingCERT, Debian, pwn.watch, CVE.org

    37.9 %

    EPSS score

    Elevated — model estimates 10-50% exploitation likelihood.

    Source: FIRST EPSS, percentile 98.6

    Show all metrics
    Severity
    Critical
    Priority (0–325)

    The priority score is a consolidated metric that condenses several individual signals into a single, action-guiding ranking: technical severity (CVSS), exploitation likelihood (EPSS), known-exploited status (KEV) and the context of the affected asset. The aim is to answer the only truly important question in vulnerability management: what first?

    Read in glossary
    224.49 Methodology
    Exploit maturity

    An exploit is code or a technique that specifically uses a concrete vulnerability to force unintended behaviour — such as executing code or escalating privileges. It is the tool that turns a theoretical flaw into a practical attack.

    Read in glossary
    actively exploitedSource: CSA/SingCERT How we classify
    XIEM Effective CVSS

    XIEM® is the tiered managed-security operating model from NEOSEC and a registered trademark of NEOSEC GmbH. It extends classic SIEM — the central collection, normalisation and correlation of security-relevant events — with endpoint forensics, network visibility and deception technology, and consolidates them into three building tiers: Sentry, Orchestrate and Command.

    Read in glossary
    8.8 Methodology
    CVSS v3

    CVSS is the globally established, open standard for assessing the technical severity of a vulnerability on a scale from 0 to 10. It describes how easily a flaw can be exploited and what damage it can cause — but not how likely its actual exploitation is. CVSS and the complementary EPSS deliberately answer different questions.

    Read in glossary
    8.8
    EPSS score

    The EPSS score is the absolute model output for an individual vulnerability: the estimated probability of real-world exploitation within the next 30 days, expressed as a value between 0 and 1 (i.e. 0 % to 100 %). A score of 0.42 means „the model estimates a 42 % chance of real-world exploitation within 30 days“.

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    37.9 %
    Elevated — model estimates 10-50% exploitation likelihood.
    EPSS percentile

    The EPSS percentile is the relative position of a vulnerability within all EPSS-scored CVEs, expressed as a value between 0 and 1. A percentile of 0.90 means „this CVE has a higher EPSS score than 90 % of all other scored CVEs“. Unlike the EPSS score, it is not a probability — but a positioning within a ranking.

    Read in glossary
    98.6
    Critical — this CVE ranks in the top fifth of all CVEs scored today (rank ≥ 80%).
    KEV status

    The KEV catalogue is a list maintained by the US authority CISA of vulnerabilities for which active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed. It answers not the question „how severe?“ but „is it already being attacked?“ — thereby sharply prioritising patching.

    Read in glossary
    Actively exploited
    Published
    In CISA KEV since

    The KEV catalogue is a list maintained by the US authority CISA of vulnerabilities for which active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed. It answers not the question „how severe?“ but „is it already being attacked?“ — thereby sharply prioritising patching.

    Read in glossary
    CISA assessment (SSVC)
    Exploitation: active · not automatable · Technical impact: total
    Source: CISA Vulnrichment, as of 8 January 2025
    CWE

    CWE is a catalogue of typical weakness types in software and hardware — such as flawed input validation, unsafe memory handling or poor authentication. Where a CVE names a concrete vulnerability in a concrete product, a CWE describes the underlying class of defect.

    Read in glossary
    CWE-843

    Response and mitigation

    Why act now?

    Prioritisation rationale

    The flaw is reachable over the network without authentication and only requires a user to load a crafted page. That makes it a natural fit for watering-hole attacks, malvertising and targeted links sent to high-access individuals. It was exploited as a zero-day before a fix shipped, and its exploitation likelihood is rated very high. CISA does not flag ransomware use; this class of browser bug more typically feeds espionage and spyware chains. Because browsers are everywhere, almost every organisation's exposure is high, but remediation is usually cheap through auto-update plus a forced relaunch. Treat it as high priority and focus effort on stragglers, version-pinned hosts, Linux distribution packages and embedded V8 consumers such as Couchbase.

    1. Runbook step 1

      Immediate response (0-24 h)

      • Establish patch status: Inventory every Chromium-based browser in the estate, including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, Brave and embedded Chromium runtimes. Defender TVM users can run: DeviceTvmSoftwareInventory | where SoftwareName has "chrome" and parse_version(SoftwareVersion) < parse_version("114.0.5735.110").
      • Update Google Chrome to 114.0.5735.110 or later and enforce a browser relaunch via policy. A downloaded update does not protect the user until the browser restarts. For Edge, Opera and other Chromium derivatives, a patch is available from the vendor; look up the exact fixed version in the vendor advisory.
      • Patch Linux clients and servers: On Debian 11/12 and Fedora 37/38, update the chromium packages from distribution repositories (apt upgrade chromium / dnf upgrade chromium). Include jump hosts and kiosk systems.
      • Review Couchbase Server: Couchbase Server embeds V8. Upgrade instances to a fixed release; the context lists 7.1.5 as patched. For 7.2.0, check the Couchbase advisory for the fixed build.
      • Isolate unpatchable systems: Legacy hosts with pinned browser versions, such as OT engineering workstations or HMI clients with a browser UI, should immediately be restricted to an allowlist at the proxy or firewall.

    2. Runbook step 2

      Mitigation layers

      • Configuration/endpoint hardening: Disable the V8 JIT via policy. In Chrome, set DefaultJavaScriptJitSetting = 2; in Edge, set EnhanceSecurityMode to Strict. This substantially shrinks the attack surface for typical V8 exploits at some performance cost. Also ensure TargetVersionPrefix is not pinning versions, and set RelaunchNotification = 2 with a short RelaunchNotificationPeriod.
      • Network/proxy: Block the "Newly Registered Domains", "Uncategorized" and "Malvertising" categories at the secure web gateway. Put high-value user groups (admins, finance, executives) behind remote browser isolation.
      • IAM/least privilege: Never browse with privileged accounts, and enforce this with internet-less privileged access workstations. A renderer exploit usually needs a further sandbox-escape or privilege-escalation stage to achieve persistence, and local admin rights shorten that chain.
      • Application control: Use WDAC or AppLocker to block execution from %LOCALAPPDATA%\Temp, Downloads and %APPDATA%. This stops the second stage even if the renderer is compromised.
      • Couchbase: Restrict the Eventing and Query services and the admin UI (port 8091) to management VLANs. Minimise the roles allowed to create Eventing functions.

    3. Runbook step 3

      Detection rules

      • Sysmon EID 1 / EDR process ancestry: Look for chrome.exe, msedge.exe or opera.exe spawning cmd.exe, powershell.exe, wscript.exe, mshta.exe, rundll32.exe or regsvr32.exe. Sigma shape: ParentImage|endswith: ['\chrome.exe','\msedge.exe'] and Image|endswith: ['\powershell.exe','\cmd.exe','\rundll32.exe'].
      • Sysmon EID 11 / EID 7: Flag executables (.exe, .dll, .ps1) written by the browser process outside the normal download path, and unsigned DLLs loaded into browser processes.
      • Crash telemetry: Watch for clusters of renderer crashes shortly after visits to rare domains. Sources include Windows Application Event ID 1000/1001 for chrome.exe or msedge.exe and Crashpad dumps under Crashpad\reports. These clusters can indicate failed exploit attempts.
      • Network (Zeek/Suricata/proxy): Alert on browser sessions to domains younger than 30 days that are followed by new outbound connections from a non-browser process. SPL correlation: index=proxy dest_category="newly_registered" | join host [search index=sysmon EventCode=3 NOT Image="*chrome.exe"].
      • Compliance detection: Run a daily SIEM alert on endpoints reporting a browser version below 114.0.5735.110. This is an exposure signal rather than an attack signal, but it shows where risk remains.

    Detection rules

    No NEOSEC detection rule is available for this vulnerability yet.

    Classification under NIS2 and CRA

    Rule-based classification from exploitation status and severity. It does not replace a case-by-case assessment.

    NIS2

    NIS2 is EU Directive (EU) 2022/2555 to raise the level of cybersecurity across the Union. It substantially broadens obligations compared with the first NIS directive: more sectors, mandatory risk management, staged reporting duties and personal accountability of senior management.

    Read in glossary
    Actively exploited: treat the vulnerability as a priority in vulnerability handling under Art. 21(2)(e) NIS2. If it is exploited in your environment, check the reporting obligation under Art. 23 (early warning within 24 hours).
    CRA

    The CRA is EU Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 setting horizontal cybersecurity requirements for „products with digital elements“ — from industrial controllers and software to connected consumer devices. For the first time manufacturers must ensure security across the entire product lifecycle, handle vulnerabilities and provide security updates.

    Read in glossary
    Since 11.09.2026, manufacturers of affected products with digital elements must report actively exploited vulnerabilities under Art. 14 CRA, with an early warning within 24 hours via ENISA's single reporting platform.
    ISO/IEC 27001

    ISO/IEC 27001 is the internationally leading standard for an information security management system (ISMS). It describes a risk-based, process-oriented framework to systematically plan, implement, review and improve information security.

    Read in glossary
    Control A.8.8, management of technical vulnerabilities: assess relevance to your systems, plan remediation and keep evidence.

    Description

    Type confusion in V8 in Google Chrome prior to 114.0.5735.110 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)

    Source: CSA/SingCERT, Debian Security Advisories, pwn.watch, NVD (NIST), cvelistv5, CISA KEV Catalog, CVE.org (MITRE)

    Affected products

    The following versions are affected. Older releases of the same product line are also vulnerable unless stated otherwise.

    Affected products
    Affected versionsFixed in
    GoogleChrome
    • < 114.0.5735.110
    • 114.0.5735.110
    couchbasecouchbase_server
    • 7.2.0
    • < 7.1.5
    • —
    • 7.1.5
    googlechrome
    • < 114.0.5735.110
    • 114.0.5735.110

    Vendors and products

    Affected operating systems

    Affected operating systems
    Linuxdebianchromiumbookworm
    Linuxdebianchromiumbullseye
    Linuxdebiandebian_linux11.0
    Linuxdebiandebian_linux12.0
    Linuxlinuxlinux_kernel—
    macOSapplemacos—
    Otherfedoraprojectfedora37
    Otherfedoraprojectfedora38

    Weakness classes (CWE)

    • CWE-843Access of Resource Using Incompatible Type ('Type Confusion')

      Base

      The product allocates or initializes a resource such as a pointer, object, or variable using one type, but it later accesses that resource using a type that is incompatible with the original type.

      Entry at MITRE CWE-843

    Public exploit references

    Publicly reported proof-of-concepts, exploit modules and detection templates for this vulnerability. NEOSEC links to the original sources only and does not provide any exploit code.

    Public exploit references
    CISA KEV CatalogCISA Known Exploited Vulnerability (opens in a new tab)cisa.govactively exploited
    CSA/SingCERTActive Exploitation of Zero-Day Vulnerability in Google Chrome (opens in a new tab)CSA/SingCERTactively exploited
    Packet StormChrome V8 Type Confusion (opens in a new tab)packetstormsecurity.comPoC (publicly reported)reported, not verified—
    Packet StormChrome V8 Type Confusion New Sandbox Escape (opens in a new tab)packetstormsecurity.comPoC (publicly reported)reported, not verified—

    References & sources

    Changes to this CVE

    Who changed this CVE and when: NVD (analysis, affected products, CVSS), the CVE publisher (CNA) and additional providers such as CISA (ADP).

    1. NVD analysis modifiedNVD

      Newly listed as affected:
      No longer listed as affected:
      Show 3 original changes
      Individual changes of this event as published by NVD
      TypeActionBeforeAfter
      Product configurationadded
      —
      OR *cpe:2.3:a:google:chrome:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions up to (excluding) 114.0.5735.110
      Product configurationremoved
      AND OR cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* OR *cpe:2.3:a:google:chrome:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions up to (excluding) 114.0.5735.110
      —
      Product configurationremoved
      AND OR cpe:2.3:a:google:chrome:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions up to (excluding) 114.0.5735.110 OR *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:apple:macos:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
      —

      Source identifier: nvd@nist.gov

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