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Google fixes Chrome zero-days exploited at Pwn2Own 2024. Google fixed seven security vulnerabilities in the Chrome web browser on Tuesday, including two zero-days exploited during the Pwn2Own Vancouver 2024 hacking competition. The first (tracked as CVE-2024-2887) is a high-severity type confusion weakness in the WebAssembly (Wasm) open standard. Manfred Paul demoed this vulnerability on the first day of Pwn2Own as part of a double-tap remote code execution (RCE) exploit using a crafted HTML page and targeting both Chrome and Edge. While type confusion security flaws generally cause browser crashes by reading or writing memory out of buffer bounds, attackers can also exploit them for arbitrary code execution. The second zero-day is tracked as CVE-2024-2886 and was exploited by KAIST Hacking Lab's Seunghyun Lee during the second day of the CanSecWest Pwn2Own contest. Described as a use-after-free (UAF) weakness in the WebCodecs API used by web apps to encode and decode audio and video content, it allows remote attackers to perform arbitrary reads/writes via crafted HTML pages. Lee also used CVE-2024-2886 to gain remote code execution using a single exploit targeting both Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Google fixed the two zero-days in the Google Chrome stable channel, version 123.0.6312.86/.87 for Windows and Mac and 123.0.6312.86 for Linux users, which will roll out worldwide over the coming days. Mozilla also fixed the two Firefox zero-days exploited by Manfred Paul at Pwn2Own Vancouver 2024 on the same day the bugs were demoed. While it only took Mozille one day and Google five days to patch these zero-days, vendors usually take their time to release patches for security flaws demoed at Pwn2Own since they have 90 days to push fixes until Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative publicly discloses bug details. In January, Google also patched a Chrome zero-day (CVE-2024-0519) exploited in attacks, a vulnerability caused by an out-of-bounds memory access weakness in the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine that can let attackers access sensitive information or crash unpatched web browsers. The Pwn2Own 2024 Vancouver competition concluded on March 22, with security researchers earning $1,132,500 for demonstrating 29 zero-day exploits and exploit chains over two days. Manfred Paul emerged as this year's winner with $202,500 in cash prizes after taking down the Apple Safari, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Edge web browsers.

Daily Brief Summary

CYBERCRIME // Google Patches Chrome Flaws Revealed at Pwn2Own 2024 Event

Google updated Chrome to address two zero-day vulnerabilities exploited at the Pwn2Own 2024.

The fixed flaws include a high-severity WebAssembly type confusion issue (CVE-2024-2887) and a use-after-free in WebCodecs (CVE-2024-2886).

Security researchers demonstrated remote code execution exploits using crafted HTML pages on both Chrome and Edge.

Chrome updates released for Windows, Mac, and Linux users, with a global rollout planned.

Mozilla also swiftly patched Firefox zero-days showcased by the same researcher.

Despite a 90-day grace period to fix Pwn2Own-exposed bugs, Mozilla and Google took one and five days respectively.

The Pwn2Own 2024 event in Vancouver saw researchers earning over $1 million for 29 zero-day exploits.

Manfred Paul won the highest prize for exploiting vulnerabilities in Safari, Chrome, and Edge.