CVE-2019-13758 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Insufficient policy enforcement in navigation in Google Chrome on Android prior to 79.0.3945.79 allowed a remote attacker to bypass navigation restrictions via a crafted HTML page.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/10/2024
This vulnerability resides in the navigation policy enforcement mechanisms within Google Chrome for Android, specifically affecting versions prior to 79.0.3945.79. The flaw represents a critical weakness in the browser's security model where the application fails to properly validate and enforce navigation restrictions that should prevent unauthorized access to sensitive resources. The issue stems from insufficient policy enforcement during the navigation process, allowing malicious actors to craft HTML pages that can bypass established security boundaries and restrictions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the browser's handling of navigation requests and policy validation checks. When Chrome processes navigation events, it should enforce strict policies that prevent transitions to unauthorized domains or resources, particularly those that might contain sensitive information or malicious payloads. However, the flaw allows attackers to manipulate the navigation flow through carefully constructed HTML content that exploits gaps in the policy enforcement logic. This typically involves leveraging cross-origin navigation scenarios where the browser's security controls are not properly applied, creating an avenue for attackers to redirect users to malicious destinations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables remote code execution and information disclosure attacks through social engineering techniques. An attacker can craft malicious web pages that appear legitimate to users while simultaneously bypassing the browser's navigation restrictions. This allows for potential phishing attacks, credential theft, and access to sensitive user data or corporate resources. The vulnerability affects the core security model of Chrome for Android, undermining the trust relationship between the browser and its users by enabling unauthorized navigation flows that should have been blocked by security policies.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-693, which addresses protection mechanism failures, and represents a navigation restriction bypass that could enable various attack vectors including cross-site scripting and malicious redirection. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for malicious code delivery through social engineering, as attackers can leverage this flaw to deliver malicious content through seemingly legitimate web pages. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining robust policy enforcement mechanisms in web browsers, particularly in mobile environments where users may be more susceptible to social engineering attacks.
Organizations should immediately update their Chrome for Android installations to version 79.0.3945.79 or later to remediate this vulnerability. Security teams should also implement network-level monitoring to detect suspicious navigation patterns and consider deploying additional browser security controls such as content security policies and enhanced tracking protection. The vulnerability highlights the need for continuous security testing of browser security mechanisms and the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all mobile platforms. Regular security assessments of web applications and user education programs should also be implemented to reduce the risk of exploitation through social engineering techniques that leverage such navigation bypass vulnerabilities.