CVE-2018-6165 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Incorrect handling of reloads in Navigation in Google Chrome prior to 68.0.3440.75 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 • 06/26/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6165 represents a critical security flaw in Google Chrome's navigation handling mechanism that existed prior to version 68.0.3440.75. This issue specifically affects how the browser manages page reloads and subsequently impacts the display of URL information within the Omnibox interface. The flaw stems from improper validation and processing of navigation events during reload operations, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate the visual representation of web addresses that users see when browsing. Such manipulation directly undermines user trust and the browser's fundamental security assurances regarding website authenticity and navigation integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the browser's navigation stack and rendering pipeline during reload scenarios. When a page undergoes a reload operation, Chrome's navigation system should maintain consistency between the actual URL being loaded and the visual representation displayed in the Omnibox. However, the flaw allows attackers to craft HTML pages that manipulate this relationship through specific JavaScript interactions and navigation events. The vulnerability specifically targets the browser's internal mechanisms for updating the Omnibox display during reloads, enabling attackers to present misleading URL information that appears legitimate to users. This behavior occurs because the browser fails to properly validate or sanitize navigation state changes during reload operations, particularly when JavaScript triggers navigation events that modify the URL bar display.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-6165 extends beyond simple visual deception to potentially enable sophisticated phishing attacks and man-in-the-middle scenarios. Users may be deceived into believing they are visiting legitimate websites when actually interacting with malicious content, as the Omnibox display becomes unreliable for verifying website authenticity. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-601 URL Redirector Abuse, where improper handling of URL redirection can lead to user deception and security bypasses. The attack vector requires a remote attacker to craft a malicious HTML page that leverages specific navigation behaviors to manipulate the Omnibox contents, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns where attackers can exploit user trust in the browser's URL display. The vulnerability essentially breaks the browser's primary security guarantee that the URL bar represents the actual destination of the current page.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-6165 focus primarily on updating to Chrome version 68.0.3440.75 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the navigation handling flaw. Organizations should implement comprehensive browser update policies to ensure all systems run patched versions of Chrome and other affected browsers. Security teams should also consider implementing additional monitoring for suspicious navigation patterns and user behavior that might indicate phishing attempts exploiting this vulnerability. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving social engineering and credential theft through browser manipulation, as outlined in tactics such as T1566 (Phishing) and T1071.101 (Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols). The vulnerability demonstrates how browser-level security flaws can undermine user trust and create opportunities for attackers to bypass traditional security controls by exploiting the fundamental assumptions users make about browser interface integrity.