CVE-2018-6178 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Eliding from the wrong side in an infobar in DevTools in Google Chrome prior to 68.0.3440.75 allowed an attacker who convinced a user to install a malicious extension to Hide Chrome Security UI via a crafted Chrome Extension.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/26/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2018-6178 represents a critical security flaw in Google Chrome's developer tools interface that could be exploited to bypass important security warnings. This issue affected Chrome versions prior to 68.0.3440.75 and specifically targeted the infobar component within DevTools that displays security-related notifications to users. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of UI elements during the rendering process, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to manipulate security warnings that are typically displayed to protect users from potentially harmful extensions or web content.
The technical flaw involves a buffer overflow condition that occurs when Chrome processes the display of security notifications in the developer tools interface. When a malicious extension attempts to hide security warnings by manipulating the infobar rendering process, the system fails to properly validate the display parameters, allowing the extension to remove or obscure critical security UI elements. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, where insufficient bounds checking on user-supplied data leads to memory corruption that can be exploited by attackers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows attackers to create a false sense of security for users who may unknowingly install malicious extensions. Once an attacker successfully convinces a user to install a crafted extension, the malicious software can hide security warnings that would normally alert users to potentially dangerous activities. This creates a persistent threat vector where users are unable to distinguish between legitimate security warnings and those that have been suppressed by malicious extensions, effectively neutralizing Chrome's built-in security protections.
The attack vector requires social engineering to convince users to install a malicious extension, but once installed, the extension can leverage the vulnerability to hide security UI elements. This approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1176 which involves bypassing security controls through manipulation of user interfaces and T1059 which covers execution through malicious extensions. The vulnerability represents a sophisticated attack pattern that exploits the trust users place in the browser's security interface.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate upgrading to Chrome version 68.0.3440.75 or later where the issue has been resolved through enhanced bounds checking in the infobar rendering process. Users should also implement additional security measures such as enabling Chrome's built-in extension verification features, regularly reviewing installed extensions, and avoiding extensions from untrusted sources. Security administrators should consider implementing browser security policies that restrict extension installation and monitor for suspicious extension behavior within their environments.
The fix implemented by Google addresses the root cause by strengthening the validation mechanisms in the DevTools infobar rendering code, ensuring that security UI elements cannot be manipulated by malicious extensions. This update demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in user interface components, particularly those that handle security-critical information. Organizations should prioritize patch management for browser software to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities that could compromise user security and system integrity.