CVE-2010-2301 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in editing/markup.cpp in WebCore in WebKit in Google Chrome before 5.0.375.70 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors related to the node.innerHTML property of a TEXTAREA element. NOTE: this might overlap CVE-2010-1762.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2301 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the WebCore rendering engine component of WebKit, which serves as the foundation for Google Chrome browser's web content processing capabilities. This vulnerability specifically targets the editing/markup.cpp file within WebCore, exposing a dangerous condition where malicious actors can manipulate the node.innerHTML property of TEXTAREA elements to execute arbitrary code within the browser context. The flaw exists in Chrome versions prior to 5.0.375.70, making a substantial user base susceptible to exploitation. This XSS vulnerability demonstrates the inherent risks associated with improper sanitization of user-controllable input within DOM manipulation operations, particularly when dealing with inline HTML content that should be treated as plain text rather than executable code.
The technical exploitation mechanism leverages the TEXTAREA element's node.innerHTML property, which should normally treat content as plain text but instead allows for HTML injection that gets interpreted as executable script. This occurs because the WebKit engine fails to properly sanitize or escape content when setting innerHTML on TEXTAREA nodes, creating a pathway for attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute within the context of the victim's browser session. The vulnerability operates at the core rendering engine level, meaning that successful exploitation can bypass many traditional browser security mechanisms and potentially lead to session hijacking, credential theft, or other malicious activities. The overlap with CVE-2010-1762 indicates that this represents part of a broader class of vulnerabilities affecting WebKit's handling of HTML content within form elements, particularly those that should maintain strict text-only boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including stealing cookies, redirecting users to phishing sites, or executing commands on behalf of the victim. The vulnerability's location within the WebCore editing subsystem suggests it could be triggered through various user interactions such as form submissions, content editing operations, or even automated attacks against web applications that utilize TEXTAREA elements. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that appear benign when entered into TEXTAREA fields but execute harmful scripts when the content is rendered back to users. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and proper input validation, as it allows untrusted input to be treated as executable code within the browser's trusted execution environment. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that TEXTAREA elements are commonly used across web applications for user input, making this vulnerability exploitable in numerous contexts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-2301 primarily involve immediate browser updates to versions 5.0.375.70 or later where the vulnerability has been patched. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization measures on their web applications, particularly focusing on proper escaping of user-controllable content before rendering it within HTML contexts. The fix implemented by Google likely involved strengthening the validation logic for innerHTML operations on TEXTAREA elements and ensuring proper HTML escaping mechanisms are applied. Security practitioners should also consider implementing content security policies and input validation at multiple layers to provide defense-in-depth against similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability highlights the importance of proper security testing of core rendering engines and the need for continuous monitoring of browser security updates, as it represents a fundamental flaw in how browser engines handle user input within form elements. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and demonstrates tactics that would fall under the ATT&CK framework's web application attack patterns, particularly those involving client-side exploitation techniques that leverage browser engine vulnerabilities.