CVE-2018-17459 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Incorrect handling of clicks in the omnibox in Navigation in Google Chrome prior to 69.0.3497.92 allowed a remote attacker to spoof the contents of the Omnibox (URL bar) via a crafted HTML page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-17459 represents a critical security flaw in Google Chrome's handling of user interactions within the omnibox component, specifically during navigation operations. This issue affects Chrome versions prior to 69.0.3497.92 and demonstrates how seemingly minor interface handling errors can create significant security risks for users. The vulnerability stems from improper validation and processing of click events within the address bar functionality, creating an avenue for malicious actors to manipulate the visual representation of web addresses displayed to users.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves a flaw in Chrome's navigation system where the omnibox fails to properly validate or sanitize user interactions when processing clicks on navigation elements. When a user interacts with the address bar, the browser should maintain strict control over what information is displayed to prevent spoofing attacks. However, the vulnerability allows remote attackers to craft malicious HTML pages that can manipulate the visual display of the omnibox, potentially showing misleading URLs that appear legitimate but actually point to malicious destinations. This type of attack directly exploits the trust users place in the browser's address bar as a security indicator.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses a severe threat to user security and trust in the browser's interface. Users may be deceived into believing they are visiting a legitimate website when they are actually navigating to a malicious page, as the URL bar displays false information. The attack vector requires only a crafted HTML page that can be delivered through various means including phishing emails, compromised websites, or social engineering campaigns. The impact extends beyond simple deception to potentially enable credential theft, malware distribution, or other malicious activities that rely on user trust in the displayed URL. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and user interface integrity that modern browsers must maintain.
The mitigation for this vulnerability required immediate patching of Chrome versions through the release of 69.0.3497.92, which addressed the improper click handling in the omnibox navigation system. Organizations should ensure all Chrome installations are updated to versions 69.0.3497.92 or later to prevent exploitation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-601 and CWE-79 issues, specifically addressing URL redirection vulnerabilities and cross-site scripting concerns. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059 and T1566, representing execution through web-based attacks and initial access via malicious websites. Users should be educated about the importance of verifying URLs even when they appear to be legitimate, and organizations should implement security awareness training to recognize potential spoofing attempts. The fix implemented by Google involved strengthening input validation and ensuring proper isolation between user-generated content and the browser's trusted interface elements.