CVE-2020-6432 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Insufficient policy enforcement in navigations in Google Chrome prior to 81.0.4044.92 allowed a remote attacker to bypass navigation restrictions via a crafted HTML page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/09/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-6432 represents a critical policy enforcement flaw within Google Chrome's navigation handling mechanisms. This issue affected Chrome versions prior to 81.0.4044.92 and stemmed from inadequate restrictions on how navigation requests were processed within the browser's security model. The flaw specifically targeted the browser's ability to properly enforce navigation policies, creating a pathway for malicious actors to circumvent intended security boundaries. The vulnerability resides in the browser's core navigation engine where it fails to adequately validate or restrict certain navigation operations that should be constrained by security policies.
This technical weakness manifests when a crafted HTML page attempts to perform navigation operations that would normally be restricted by the browser's security policies. The insufficient enforcement allows remote attackers to manipulate navigation flows in ways that violate established security boundaries, potentially enabling unauthorized access to restricted resources or bypassing content security policies. The flaw operates at the intersection of browser policy enforcement and navigation handling, where the security controls meant to prevent certain navigation patterns prove inadequate. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-693, which addresses protection mechanism failures, specifically related to insufficient enforcement of security policies. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple navigation bypass as it represents a fundamental breakdown in the browser's security architecture that could enable more sophisticated attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-6432 presents significant risks to users and organizations relying on Chrome for web browsing. Remote attackers could exploit this vulnerability to bypass security controls that protect against malicious navigation attempts, potentially leading to information disclosure, unauthorized access to sensitive resources, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability particularly affects scenarios where Chrome enforces strict navigation policies such as those used in enterprise environments or applications with enhanced security requirements. Attackers could craft malicious web pages that appear legitimate but contain hidden navigation triggers designed to bypass security restrictions. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004, which covers web protocols and navigation manipulation, as it enables attackers to manipulate browser navigation behavior in ways that circumvent security controls. The exploitation potential extends to phishing attacks, credential theft, and other malicious activities that rely on bypassing navigation restrictions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-6432 primarily focus on updating to Chrome version 81.0.4044.92 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the policy enforcement deficiencies. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management processes to ensure all Chrome installations are updated promptly, as this vulnerability represents a persistent risk to browser security. Additional defensive measures include implementing content security policies that further restrict navigation behaviors, monitoring for suspicious navigation patterns, and maintaining awareness of potential exploitation attempts. Browser security teams should also consider implementing additional validation checks for navigation requests and ensuring that all navigation operations properly respect security policy boundaries. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining robust policy enforcement mechanisms within browser security architectures and demonstrates how seemingly minor flaws in navigation handling can create significant security risks. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls or additional security layers that can detect and prevent exploitation attempts targeting such navigation bypass vulnerabilities.