Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a high-severity Chrome PDF handling flaw. A malicious PDF opened in a vulnerable Chrome version could corrupt browser memory and potentially let an attacker run code or disrupt the browser. The supplied sources identify Chrome before 105.0.5195.125 as affected.
Executive priority
Treat as a high-priority endpoint patching issue. It is browser-facing, user-triggered, and has high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact, but the provided evidence does not confirm active exploitation.
Technical view
CVE-2022-3196 is a CWE-416 use-after-free in Chrome's PDF component. The CVSS 3.1 score is 8.8, with network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, and user interaction required. Google fixed it in Chrome 105.0.5195.125.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on endpoints running Google Chrome versions earlier than 105.0.5195.125, especially where users can receive or browse to untrusted PDF content.
Exploitation context
The CVE requires user interaction with a crafted PDF. The bundle includes a Chromium issue reference tagged exploit, but KEV is false and no supplied source text confirms active exploitation in the wild.
Researcher notes
The public bundle gives limited technical detail beyond use-after-free, PDF component, crafted PDF trigger, and heap corruption potential. Avoid assuming exploit maturity or sandbox escape without additional cited evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Update Google Chrome to 105.0.5195.125 or later.
- Follow Google and relevant Linux distribution security guidance for packaged browsers.
- Ensure managed browser update policies are enforced across endpoints.
- Limit unnecessary handling of untrusted PDFs in vulnerable browsers until updated.
Validation and detection
- Inventory endpoint Chrome versions and flag anything below 105.0.5195.125.
- Confirm browser auto-update controls are enabled and reporting successfully.
- Review vulnerability scanner results for CVE-2022-3196 coverage.
- Check vendor advisory status before closing exceptions or deferrals.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
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
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-416: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2022-3196 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 8.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H2.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
8.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2022/09/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_14.htmlCVE reference
- https://crbug.com/1358090CVE reference
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202209-23CVE reference
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/T4NMJURTG5RO3TGD7ZMIQ6Z4ZZ3SAVYE/CVE reference
- https://issues.chromium.org/issues/40060720CVE reference · exploit
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Use After Free
Use After Free represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.