CVE DatabaseCVE-2021-38003

Updated 2026-06-17한국어 권고문 →

CVE-2021-380038.8/HIGHCISA KEVCWE-755CWE-755

Google Chrome V8 Engine Inappropriate Exception Handling Heap Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2021-38003)

⚡ Jump to Patch

Affected Vendors

google

Affected Components

chrome, v8

Published Date

2021-11-23

CVSS v3.1

8.8

HIGH

EPSS (30d)

38.6%

FIRST.org

CISA KEV

Exploited

NVD Source ↗

Executive & SecOps Summary

SECOPS ASSESSMENT

Affected Scope

Google Chrome and Chromium-based browsers prior to version 95.0.4638.69

Impact

A remote attacker can trigger heap corruption and potentially execute arbitrary code by enticing a user to visit a specially crafted HTML page

Mitigation

Immediately update Google Chrome and Chromium-based browsers to the latest stable version (95.0.4638.69 or higher)

Affected Products & Version Scope

Google Chrome versions prior to 95.0.4638.69 on Windows, macOS, and Linux, as well as other browsers utilizing the affected Chromium V8 engine

Remediation & Live Workaround Commands

PATCH & WORKAROUND

1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands

To update Google Chrome to the patched version on Debian/Ubuntu-based Linux systems, execute the following commands:

bash

# Update package repositories and upgrade Google Chrome to the latest version
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install google-chrome-stable -y

# Verify that the installed version is 95.0.4638.69 or higher
google-chrome --version

2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration

If immediate patching is not feasible, enforce strict browser policies via registry settings to ensure the sandbox remains active and restrict access to untrusted sites.

powershell

# Enforce Chrome security policies and ensure sandbox integrity via Windows Registry
New-Item -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome' -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome' -Name 'SandboxHtml5Parser' -Value 1
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome' -Name 'DeviceTrustDependencyAccessAllowed' -Value 0

3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands

Use the following PowerShell script to audit running Chrome processes across your endpoints and identify vulnerable installations.

powershell

# Audit running Chrome processes to detect versions below the patched threshold
Get-Process -Name chrome -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object -Property Path, Version -Unique | ForEach-Object {
    $ver = [version]$_.Version
    if ($ver -lt [version]'95.0.4638.69') {
        Write-Host '[-] Warning: Vulnerable Chrome version detected:' $_.Path ' (Version:' $_.Version ')' -ForegroundColor Red
    } else {
        Write-Host '[+] Safe: Chrome version is up-to-date:' $_.Path ' (Version:' $_.Version ')' -ForegroundColor Green
    }
}

Interactive SecOps Remediation Checklist

0/4 (0%)

Recommended Security Control & Mitigation Partner

SentinelOne Singularity AI EDR

Since this vulnerability is actively exploited in the wild, immediately upgrade all Google Chrome installations to version 95.0.4638.69 or later.

Block Kernel Privilege Escalation & Ransomware Payloads Before You Can Reboot

Protect unpatched Windows, Linux, and macOS workloads against in-memory exploitation and lateral movement with autonomous EDR.

100% MITRE ATT&CK Detection · 1-Click Rollback

See Autonomous Endpoint Protection in Action

Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics

1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause

This vulnerability (CVE-2021-38003) stems from an inappropriate implementation within the V8 JavaScript and WebAssembly engine in Google Chrome (CWE-755). Due to insufficient validation during exception handling or type conversion routines, the engine fails to maintain proper object lifecycles or memory boundaries. This flaw allows an attacker to corrupt the heap memory layout, leading to unstable memory states.

2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario

An attacker exploits this vulnerability by hosting a malicious HTML page containing crafted JavaScript code designed to trigger the flawed exception handling logic in V8. When a target user visits the page, the V8 engine processes the script, causing an out-of-bounds write or use-after-free condition in the heap. By carefully grooming the heap layout, the attacker can bypass browser security controls and execute arbitrary code within the context of the browser renderer process.

3. Infrastructure & Business Impact

As a vulnerability listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, CVE-2021-38003 poses a severe threat to enterprise environments. Successful exploitation can lead to complete compromise of the user's workstation. This initial foothold allows threat actors to bypass network perimeters, exfiltrate sensitive corporate data, deploy ransomware, or perform lateral movement across the internal network.

Official Vendor Advisories & References

NVD Original English Description

Inappropriate implementation in V8 in Google Chrome prior to 95.0.4638.69 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page.

https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2021/10/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_28.html

Source: chrome-cve-admin@google.com · Release Notes

https://crbug.com/1263462

Source: chrome-cve-admin@google.com · Exploit, Issue Tracking

https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/3W46HRT2UVHWSLZB6JZHQF6JNQWKV744/

Source: chrome-cve-admin@google.com · Release Notes

https://www.debian.org/security/2022/dsa-5046

Source: chrome-cve-admin@google.com · Mailing List, Third Party Advisory

https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2021/10/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_28.html

Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 · Release Notes

https://crbug.com/1263462

Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 · Exploit, Issue Tracking

Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2021-38003)

FAQ

Q1. How critical is CVE-2021-38003 and is it actively exploited in the wild?

CVE-2021-38003 is rated CVSS 8.8 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 38.6%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.

Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2021-38003?

Primary impacted vendors include google across chrome, v8. Scope summary: Google Chrome versions prior to 95.0.4638.69 on Windows, macOS, and Linux, as well as other browsers utilizing the affected Chromium V8 engine

Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2021-38003 before patching?

[Mitigation] Immediately update Google Chrome and Chromium-based browsers to the latest stable version (95.0.4638.69 or higher) Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.

SECOPS WORKBENCH INTEGRATION