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CVE Record

CVE-2021-30542: Use after free in Tab Strip in Google Chrome prior to 91.0.4472.77 allowed an attacker who convinced a user...

Use after free in Tab Strip in Google Chrome prior to 91.0.4472.77 allowed an attacker who convinced a user to install a malicious extension to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2021-30542 is a memory-safety flaw in Google Chrome's Tab Strip before version 91.0.4472.77. An attacker would need to convince a user to install a malicious extension and interact with a crafted HTML page. The sources do not show active exploitation, but outdated browsers remain a meaningful enterprise risk.

Executive priority

Treat as a standard browser patching priority, elevated where unmanaged extensions are allowed. It is not KEV-listed in the provided sources, but the memory-corruption class and user-targeting path justify timely remediation.

Technical view

The CVE describes a use-after-free condition in Chrome's Tab Strip that could allow heap corruption through crafted HTML after malicious extension installation. Google fixed it in the Stable Channel update to 91.0.4472.77. No CVSS, CWE, or public exploit detail is provided in the bundle.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely on endpoints running Google Chrome earlier than 91.0.4472.77, especially where users can install unapproved extensions. Fedora package advisories are also referenced, so Linux package-managed browser builds should be checked against distribution updates.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not indicate known active exploitation, and the CVE is not listed as KEV. Exploitation requires social engineering to install a malicious extension plus delivery of crafted HTML, reducing opportunistic exposure but increasing concern in phishing or targeted-user scenarios.

Researcher notes

Evidence is limited to the CVE description, Google stable-channel advisory, Chromium bug reference, and Fedora advisories. The Chromium bug may restrict technical details. Avoid assuming exploitability beyond potential heap corruption under the stated extension and crafted HTML preconditions.

Mitigation direction

  • Update Google Chrome to 91.0.4472.77 or later.
  • Apply relevant Fedora or distribution browser package updates.
  • Restrict installation of unapproved browser extensions.
  • Review enterprise browser policies for extension allowlisting.
  • Check vendor guidance for any additional mitigations.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Chrome versions across managed endpoints.
  • Flag Chrome installations older than 91.0.4472.77.
  • Review extension inventories for unapproved or unknown extensions.
  • Confirm package-managed Linux browsers received relevant updates.
  • Check browser policy enforcement for extension restrictions.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
7

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

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CVE-2021-30542 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
6Source links

CVSS and timeline data

No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
GoogleChromeunspecifiedListed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.