CVE-2011-2840 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 14.0.835.163 allows user-assisted remote attackers to spoof the URL bar via vectors related to "unusual user interaction."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2840 represents a significant security flaw in Google Chrome browsers prior to version 14.0.835.163 that enables remote attackers to manipulate the browser's user interface through deceptive means. This issue specifically targets the URL bar spoofing capability, which is a critical component of browser security that users rely upon to verify the authenticity of websites they visit. The vulnerability operates under the premise that certain user interaction patterns can be manipulated to create misleading visual representations of web addresses, potentially leading users to believe they are visiting legitimate sites when they are actually interacting with malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from how Chrome handled certain edge cases in user interaction sequences that could be exploited to influence the display of URL bar information. Attackers could craft web pages that, when interacted with in specific ways, would cause the browser to display misleading URL information while maintaining the appearance of a legitimate navigation. This flaw falls under the category of user interface deception attacks and can be classified as a variant of CWE-602 Client-side URL Redirect, where the deception occurs at the presentation layer rather than through traditional server-side redirects. The vulnerability specifically leverages the browser's handling of unusual user interaction patterns to create a false sense of security that could be exploited in phishing attacks or other social engineering scenarios.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2840 extends beyond simple visual deception as it directly undermines the fundamental trust users place in their browser's security indicators. When users observe what appears to be a legitimate URL in the address bar, they typically make assumptions about the security and authenticity of the website they are visiting. This vulnerability effectively breaks that trust model by allowing attackers to present false URL information that could be used to harvest credentials, personal information, or to deliver malware. The user-assisted nature of the attack means that victims must perform specific interaction sequences, but this requirement is often easily achieved through social engineering tactics that exploit human psychology and trust in familiar browser interfaces. This type of attack pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 Phishing, where the deception occurs through manipulated user interface elements that bypass traditional security controls.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required immediate browser updates to version 14.0.835.163 or later, which implemented fixes to the URL bar rendering logic and user interaction handling. Organizations should have enforced immediate patch deployment across all affected systems and conducted user awareness training about the importance of verifying website addresses through multiple means beyond visual inspection of URL bars. Browser vendors typically address such vulnerabilities by implementing stricter validation of user interaction sequences and by ensuring that URL display information cannot be easily manipulated through crafted web content. Additional defensive measures included browser hardening configurations that restricted certain types of user interaction patterns that could lead to interface manipulation, and network-level monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date browser software and the need for continuous security auditing of user interface components that users trust implicitly for security decisions.