CVE-2014-3166 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
The Public Key Pinning (PKP) implementation in Google Chrome before 36.0.1985.143 on Windows, OS X, and Linux, and before 36.0.1985.135 on Android, does not correctly consider the properties of SPDY connections, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information by leveraging the use of multiple domain names.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-3166 represents a critical flaw in Google Chrome's implementation of Public Key Pinning (PKP) security mechanism, affecting versions prior to 36.0.1985.143 on desktop platforms and 36.0.1985.135 on Android devices. This weakness specifically targets the handling of SPDY protocol connections within the browser's security framework, creating a potential avenue for attackers to bypass intended security protections. The flaw stems from Chrome's failure to properly account for the unique characteristics of SPDY connections when evaluating certificate pinning policies, which are designed to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks by ensuring that certificates match pre-established cryptographic fingerprints.
The technical nature of this vulnerability lies in how Chrome processes certificate validation for SPDY connections, which operate over HTTP/2-like protocols that can involve multiple domain names within a single connection. When SPDY connections are established, they may traverse multiple domains or subdomains while maintaining a single connection, creating a scenario where the browser's PKP implementation fails to correctly evaluate certificate properties across these domain transitions. This misconfiguration allows attackers to exploit the connection handling mechanism by leveraging the multi-domain nature of SPDY to potentially bypass certificate pinning restrictions that should prevent unauthorized certificate usage.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it fundamentally undermines the security model that PKP is designed to enforce. Attackers can exploit this weakness to conduct sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks where they manipulate certificate validation during SPDY connections, potentially accessing sensitive information transmitted through seemingly secure channels. The vulnerability particularly affects users of Chrome on multiple platforms including Windows, OS X, Linux, and Android, making it a widespread concern across Google's browser ecosystem. This weakness creates a scenario where attackers could present valid certificates for one domain while the connection is actually traversing multiple domains, effectively bypassing the pinning mechanism that should prevent such certificate substitution attacks.
Security researchers have classified this vulnerability under CWE-295 which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1573.002 for "Encrypted Channel: Steal or Forge Certificates". The flaw demonstrates how protocol-specific implementation gaps can create security vulnerabilities that bypass traditional certificate validation mechanisms. Organizations using affected Chrome versions face increased risk of credential theft, data interception, and privilege escalation attacks, particularly in environments where sensitive information is transmitted over networks that may utilize SPDY connections. The vulnerability essentially allows attackers to exploit the trust relationship established by certificate pinning, undermining the fundamental security assumptions that PKP is designed to protect against.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate upgrade to Chrome versions 36.0.1985.143 or later on desktop platforms and 36.0.1985.135 or later on Android devices, as these releases contain the necessary patches to properly handle SPDY connection properties during certificate validation. Network administrators should also implement additional monitoring for unusual certificate behavior and consider implementing additional security controls such as Extended Validation certificates or alternative certificate management strategies. Organizations should conduct vulnerability assessments to identify systems running affected Chrome versions and prioritize remediation efforts, particularly in environments where sensitive data transmission occurs over networks that may utilize SPDY protocol connections. The patch addresses the core implementation flaw by ensuring that SPDY connections are properly evaluated against certificate pinning policies regardless of the multi-domain nature of these connections, restoring the intended security protections.