CVE-2019-13665 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Insufficient filtering in Blink in Google Chrome prior to 77.0.3865.75 allowed a remote attacker to bypass multiple file download protection via a crafted HTML page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-13665 represents a critical security flaw within the Blink rendering engine that powers Google Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and filtering mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data during file download operations. The vulnerability exists in the browser's handling of crafted HTML content that manipulates the download process to circumvent established security controls designed to protect users from malicious file downloads.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through carefully constructed HTML pages that leverage the browser's download handling mechanisms. Attackers can craft malicious web content that bypasses the intended security boundaries around file downloads, potentially allowing execution of harmful files or redirection to malicious resources without proper user consent or warning. The flaw specifically affects the filtering logic within Blink's download subsystem, where insufficient validation permits unauthorized file operations that should otherwise be blocked by security policies.
This vulnerability presents significant operational risks to end users and organizations relying on Chrome-based browsers for web access. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness to deliver malware through seemingly legitimate download prompts, potentially compromising user systems through drive-by downloads or social engineering attacks that appear to be standard file transfers. The impact extends beyond individual user compromise to potential corporate security breaches when employees access malicious sites through company browsers, particularly in environments where browser security is a primary defense mechanism.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and represents a classic case of insufficient filtering in security-critical components. From an attack framework perspective, this flaw maps to ATT&CK technique T1193, which involves using malicious content to execute downloads that bypass security controls. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including mandatory browser updates to version 77.0.3865.75 or later, deployment of network-based protections such as web application firewalls, and user education programs to recognize suspicious download prompts. Additional protective measures include implementing browser security extensions, configuring secure browsing policies, and establishing monitoring protocols to detect unusual download patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.