CVE-2019-13744 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Insufficient policy enforcement in cookies in Google Chrome prior to 79.0.3945.79 allowed a remote attacker to leak cross-origin data via a crafted HTML page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/09/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-13744 represents a critical security flaw in Google Chrome's cookie handling mechanisms that existed prior to version 79.0.3945.79. This issue stems from insufficient policy enforcement within the browser's cookie management system, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit cross-origin data leakage through carefully crafted HTML pages. The flaw specifically targets the browser's ability to properly enforce same-origin policies when processing cookie data, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive information that should remain isolated between different origins.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves the improper enforcement of cookie policies that should prevent cross-origin access to cookies. When a malicious webpage attempts to access cookies from a different origin, the browser's security mechanisms should prevent such access based on established security policies. However, this flaw allowed attackers to craft HTML pages that could manipulate cookie access controls, potentially enabling them to read cookies from other origins that they should not have access to. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of web security boundaries where cookie data should be properly isolated between different domains and origins.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data leakage, as it could potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and cross-site request forgery exploitation. Attackers could leverage this flaw to access session cookies, authentication tokens, or other sensitive data stored in cookies that should remain protected from cross-origin access. The remote nature of this attack means that victims could be compromised simply by visiting a malicious website, without requiring any special user interaction or privilege escalation. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or when users visit compromised websites.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-346, which addresses the issue of "Origin Validation Error" where applications fail to properly validate the origin of requests or data. The flaw also relates to ATT&CK technique T1531, which covers "Account Access Removal" and can be leveraged for credential theft through cookie manipulation. Additionally, it connects to the broader category of web application security flaws that compromise the integrity of browser security models. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper cookie policy enforcement in maintaining the security boundaries that protect user data and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information across different web origins.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate upgrade to Google Chrome version 79.0.3945.79 or later, which contains the necessary security patches to properly enforce cookie policies. Organizations should also implement additional security measures such as strict Content Security Policy headers, proper cookie attributes including SameSite flags, and regular security audits of web applications to identify potential exploitation vectors. Browser security teams recommend enabling additional security features such as Enhanced Tracking Protection and ensuring that all users maintain up-to-date browser versions to protect against similar vulnerabilities in the future. The incident highlights the ongoing need for robust security testing and validation of browser security mechanisms to prevent unauthorized cross-origin data access.