CVE-2014-1726 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
The drag implementation in Google Chrome before 34.0.1847.116 allows user-assisted remote attackers to bypass the Same Origin Policy and forge local pathnames by leveraging renderer access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-1726 represents a critical security flaw in Google Chrome's drag and drop implementation that existed prior to version 34.0.1847.116. This issue specifically targets the browser's handling of drag operations within the renderer process, creating a pathway for malicious actors to circumvent fundamental web security mechanisms. The vulnerability operates through a sophisticated manipulation of how Chrome processes drag events, effectively allowing attackers to exploit the renderer's capabilities to bypass the Same Origin Policy that normally protects web applications from cross-origin data access. The security implications are severe because the Same Origin Policy serves as one of the cornerstone security models in web browsers, preventing unauthorized access to resources from different domains and protecting users from various cross-site scripting and data leakage attacks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a malicious website leverages the renderer process to perform drag operations that manipulate local file pathnames. Attackers can craft specific drag events that, when executed within the browser context, enable them to forge local pathnames that would normally be inaccessible to web applications. This flaw exploits the trust model within Chrome's architecture where renderer processes have elevated privileges for drag operations but lack proper validation mechanisms to prevent path manipulation. The vulnerability essentially allows attackers to create false local file paths that appear legitimate to the browser's security model, thereby enabling unauthorized access to local filesystem information that should be restricted to the same origin domain. This manipulation occurs through the browser's internal drag handling code that fails to properly sanitize or validate the pathnames associated with drag operations, creating an attack surface that can be exploited by remote adversaries.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-1726 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it represents a significant bypass of browser security controls that could enable more sophisticated attacks. When combined with other vulnerabilities or attack vectors, this flaw could potentially allow attackers to perform local file system reconnaissance, gather sensitive information about user files, or even facilitate further exploitation through techniques such as local file inclusion attacks. The user-assisted nature of this vulnerability means that victims must interact with malicious content, typically through phishing emails or compromised websites, but once triggered, the attack can have wide-reaching consequences. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-20, which covers "Improper Input Validation," and specifically manifests as a weakness in how the browser validates and processes drag operation parameters. The attack pattern aligns with techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under T1059 for execution and T1071 for application layer protocol usage, demonstrating how browser-based attacks can leverage legitimate browser features for malicious purposes.
The remediation for CVE-2014-1726 required Google to implement proper validation of drag operation parameters within the renderer process, ensuring that local pathnames cannot be forged or manipulated through user-controlled drag events. The fix involved updating Chrome's drag and drop implementation to properly sanitize pathname information and enforce stricter access controls during drag operations. Organizations should ensure all Chrome installations are updated to version 34.0.1847.116 or later, as this vulnerability was addressed through code changes that prevent the renderer process from creating or manipulating local pathnames in ways that could bypass security restrictions. The fix demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in browser security implementations and highlights how legitimate browser features can be exploited when proper security boundaries are not maintained between different execution contexts. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the complex security considerations in modern browsers where legitimate user interaction features must be carefully implemented to prevent abuse. The remediation efforts required careful attention to the balance between maintaining legitimate drag functionality while preventing security bypasses, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security testing of browser features that interact with local system resources.