CVE-2013-2915 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 30.0.1599.66 preserves pending NavigationEntry objects in certain invalid circumstances, which allows remote attackers to spoof the address bar via a URL with a malformed scheme, as demonstrated by a nonexistent:12121 URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-2915 represents a critical navigation handling flaw within Google Chrome browser versions prior to 30.0.1599.66. This issue stems from the browser's improper management of NavigationEntry objects during specific invalid navigation scenarios, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate the browser's address bar display. The vulnerability specifically manifests when Chrome encounters URLs with malformed schemes, allowing attackers to craft deceptive navigation sequences that can mislead users about the actual destination of their browsing activity. The technical implementation involves Chrome's navigation stack maintaining references to pending navigation entries even when those entries should be discarded due to invalid conditions, creating a state where malicious URLs can persist in the browser's display context.
The core technical flaw resides in Chrome's navigation entry management system where the browser fails to properly invalidate or clear NavigationEntry objects when encountering malformed URLs. This occurs particularly with URLs that have nonexistent or improperly formatted schemes such as the demonstrated nonexistent:12121 URL pattern. The vulnerability leverages the browser's handling of these edge cases where the navigation system should terminate or reject invalid entries but instead maintains them in memory. This creates a scenario where malicious actors can construct URLs that bypass normal validation mechanisms and persist in the browser's address bar, effectively enabling address bar spoofing attacks that can deceive users into believing they are visiting legitimate sites when they are actually navigating to malicious destinations. The flaw operates at the application layer and demonstrates a weakness in Chrome's input validation and state management for navigation objects.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple address bar deception to encompass significant security implications for user trust and browser integrity. Attackers can exploit this weakness to create convincing phishing scenarios where users see legitimate-looking URLs in their address bar while actually being directed to malicious sites. This form of deception can be particularly effective in social engineering campaigns where users are trained to trust URL bar information as a security indicator. The vulnerability enables man-in-the-middle attacks and phishing attempts where the malicious URL appears legitimate due to the spoofed address bar display, potentially leading to credential theft, malware distribution, or financial fraud. The attack vector requires no special privileges or complex exploitation techniques, making it particularly dangerous as it can be executed through simple web page navigation or URL manipulation.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-170, which addresses improper handling of input that could lead to security issues, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter usage and T1566 for phishing campaigns. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including prompt browser updates to version 30.0.1599.66 or later, which resolves the navigation entry handling issue. Additional defensive measures include user education about address bar verification practices, implementation of browser security extensions, and network-level monitoring for suspicious URL patterns. The fix implemented by Google addresses the root cause by properly clearing NavigationEntry objects when malformed URLs are encountered, ensuring that invalid navigation states do not persist in the browser's display system. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to detect and block suspicious navigation patterns that could exploit similar vulnerabilities in other browser implementations or web applications.