Google fixes Chrome zero-day with in-the-wild exploit (CVE-2024-4671)

CVE-2024-4671 is a use-after-free (CWE-416) in the Visuals component of Google Chrome and Chromium, fixed in Chrome 124.0.6367.201. It is triggered via a crafted HTML page, but the attacker must already have compromised the browser's renderer process, so this flaw is typically chained with a renderer exploit rather than used standalone. Successful exploitation enables a sandbox escape, letting the attacker break out of Chrome's renderer sandbox and gain broader access to the system beyond the browser tab. All users of Google Chrome versions prior to 124.0.6367.201 are affected, and per CISA's CPE data, Fedora's packaged Chromium builds are also in scope. The flaw was added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2024-05-13, indicating active exploitation in the wild; no public proof-of-concept is known, EPSS estimates an 8.3% chance of exploitation within 30 days (95th percentile), and ransomware association is unknown.

Do: Update Google Chrome to 124.0.6367.201 or later (verify via chrome://settings/help, since Chrome auto-updates may lag), and update Fedora's chromium package to the fixed build; CISA KEV requires federal agencies to apply the vendor fix on the mandated timeline. Because this sandbox escape must be chained with a renderer compromise, defenders should treat any unpatched Chrome deployment as exposed and confirm via EDR logs whether suspicious renderer-process activity occurred; enterprise admins should push the update through managed-browser channels immediately.

CVE-2024-4761 is an out-of-bounds write (CWE-787) in the V8 JavaScript engine used by Google Chrome and Chromium. A remote attacker triggers the flaw by persuading a user to load a crafted HTML page, causing V8 to write beyond allocated memory bounds. Successful exploitation yields a high-impact memory corruption condition that can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability, potentially enabling arbitrary code execution within the browser process. All Google Chrome releases prior to 124.0.6367.207 are affected, as are Chromium-based distributions such as Fedora's Chromium package. CISA added the vulnerability to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2024-05-16, confirming it is being exploited in the wild, and Google patched it in Chrome 124.0.6367.207.

Do: Update Google Chrome to 124.0.6367.207 or later on all platforms and verify the running version at chrome://settings/help; Fedora administrators should install the patched chromium package from the Fedora repositories as soon as available. Because the flaw is confirmed exploited in the wild and listed in CISA KEV, treat patching as urgent, prioritizing workstations and servers with browsers used to access untrusted web content. As an interim mitigation, restrict high-risk users' web browsing or isolate browsers until updates are applied.