CVE-2017-15391 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Insufficient Policy Enforcement in Extensions in Google Chrome prior to 62.0.3202.62 allowed a remote attacker to access Extension pages without authorisation via a crafted HTML page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2017-15391 represents a critical security flaw in Google Chrome's extension architecture that existed prior to version 62.0.3202.62. This issue stems from inadequate policy enforcement mechanisms within the browser's extension handling system, creating a pathway for unauthorized access to extension pages through malicious web content. The flaw specifically targets Chrome's extension management framework where proper access controls should prevent unauthorized parties from viewing or interacting with extension interfaces and functionalities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the browser's insufficient validation of cross-origin requests and extension page access. When a malicious HTML page is loaded in a Chrome browser, it can potentially trigger unauthorized access to extension interfaces that should only be accessible to the extension itself or authorized users. This occurs because the browser fails to properly enforce the security boundaries that separate extension content from regular web pages, allowing crafted HTML elements to bypass expected authorization checks and gain access to extension-specific resources.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to users who may unknowingly visit compromised websites that contain malicious code designed to exploit this weakness. Attackers could craft web pages that, when loaded in Chrome, would allow them to access extension pages that contain sensitive user data, configuration settings, or administrative functions. The impact extends beyond simple data exposure, as attackers could potentially manipulate extension behavior, access user credentials stored by extensions, or exploit other extension functionalities that are not properly secured.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-668, which addresses "Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere" and represents a classic case of insufficient access control in a web browser environment. It also maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for command and script interpreter usage, and T1071 for application layer protocol usage, as attackers could leverage this flaw to execute malicious code through extension interfaces. The flaw demonstrates the importance of proper sandboxing and access control mechanisms in browser extensions, where the principle of least privilege should be strictly enforced to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive extension resources.
Organizations and users should immediately update to Chrome version 62.0.3202.62 or later to remediate this vulnerability. Additionally, security teams should implement monitoring for suspicious extension access patterns and consider restricting extension installations to trusted sources only. The incident highlights the critical importance of regular browser updates and proper security testing of extension frameworks to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the wild.