CVE-2022-3052 is a high-severity heap buffer overflow vulnerability found in the Window Manager component of Google Chrome on Chrome OS and Lacros (the Linux-based Chrome browser for Chrome OS) versions prior to 105.0.5195.52. This vulnerability arises from improper handling of UI interactions, allowing a remote attacker to trigger heap corruption by convincing a user to perform specific crafted UI actions. The flaw is classified under CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), indicating that the vulnerability involves writing data outside the boundaries of allocated heap memory, which can lead to memory corruption. Exploitation requires no privileges (PR:N) but does require user interaction (UI:R), such as clicking or interacting with a maliciously crafted webpage or UI element. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8, reflecting its high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, or cause denial of service by crashing the browser or the underlying OS component. No known exploits in the wild have been reported as of the published date, but the presence of a high-severity heap overflow in a widely used browser component makes this a critical issue to address. The vulnerability affects Chrome OS users and those using Lacros, which is increasingly adopted in Chrome OS environments for Linux integration. Since the vulnerability is triggered through user interaction, social engineering or phishing techniques could be used to lure victims into triggering the exploit.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially for enterprises and public sector entities that rely on Chrome OS devices or use Lacros as part of their infrastructure. Exploitation could lead to remote code execution, allowing attackers to bypass security controls, steal sensitive data, or disrupt operations. Given the widespread use of Google Chrome and Chrome OS in education, government, and corporate sectors across Europe, a successful attack could compromise user credentials, internal networks, and critical services. The requirement for user interaction means that phishing campaigns targeting European users could be effective vectors. Additionally, the heap overflow could be leveraged to deploy persistent malware or ransomware, impacting data confidentiality and availability. The vulnerability's impact is amplified in environments where Chrome OS is used for secure or sensitive tasks, such as in financial institutions or healthcare organizations, potentially leading to regulatory compliance issues under GDPR if personal data is exposed.

European organizations should prioritize updating Chrome OS and Lacros browsers to version 105.0.5195.52 or later, where this vulnerability is patched. Since no patch links were provided in the data, organizations should monitor official Google Chrome release notes and deploy updates promptly. In addition to patching, organizations should implement user awareness training focused on recognizing and avoiding suspicious UI interactions and phishing attempts that could trigger this vulnerability. Employing endpoint protection solutions that monitor for anomalous browser behavior or heap corruption attempts can provide an additional layer of defense. Network-level protections such as web filtering and blocking access to known malicious sites can reduce exposure. For managed Chrome OS environments, administrators should enforce policies that restrict installation of untrusted extensions and limit user permissions to reduce the attack surface. Regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing targeting Chrome OS devices can help identify residual risks. Finally, organizations should have incident response plans tailored to browser-based exploits to quickly contain and remediate any successful attacks.