CVE-2019-13714 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Insufficient validation of untrusted input in Color Enhancer extension in Google Chrome prior to 78.0.3904.70 allowed a remote attacker to inject CSS into an HTML page via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/27/2024
The vulnerability CVE-2019-13714 represents a critical security flaw in Google Chrome's Color Enhancer extension that existed prior to version 78.0.3904.70. This issue stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing it within the browser environment. The flaw specifically affects how the extension handles untrusted input, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate the extension's behavior through crafted URLs. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of web browser security and extension architecture, where the extension's failure to validate input translates directly into potential code injection capabilities.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a carefully constructed URL that contains malicious CSS content designed to be interpreted by the Color Enhancer extension. When Chrome processes this malformed input, the insufficient validation allows the crafted CSS to be injected into HTML pages, potentially enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code or manipulate webpage elements. This represents a classic cross-site scripting vulnerability where the extension's trust model is violated, allowing untrusted data to be processed without proper sanitization. The flaw aligns with CWE-20, which describes inadequate input validation, and demonstrates how browser extensions can become attack vectors when proper security boundaries are not maintained.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple CSS injection, as it can enable sophisticated attacks including phishing page manipulation, credential harvesting, and potential privilege escalation within the browser context. Attackers could craft URLs that, when visited by unsuspecting users, would inject malicious CSS rules that alter page appearance, redirect users to malicious sites, or even attempt to bypass security mechanisms. This vulnerability particularly affects users who have the Color Enhancer extension installed, creating a persistent threat vector that remains active until the extension is updated or disabled. The attack surface is significant since the vulnerability can be triggered through standard web navigation without requiring additional user interaction beyond visiting a malicious page.
Organizations and individual users should prioritize immediate remediation by updating to Chrome version 78.0.3904.70 or later, which includes the necessary input validation fixes. System administrators should conduct inventory checks to identify affected users and ensure all browser installations are current with security patches. The mitigation strategy should include monitoring for suspicious extension behavior and implementing browser security policies that restrict extension permissions where possible. This vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date browser software and demonstrates how extension-based attacks can bypass traditional web application security controls. Security teams should also consider implementing network-level protections that can detect and block malicious URL patterns associated with such exploits, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.006 for command and scripting interpreter usage.