CVE-2020-6433 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Insufficient policy enforcement in extensions in Google Chrome prior to 81.0.4044.92 allowed a remote attacker to bypass navigation restrictions via a crafted HTML page.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/09/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-6433 represents a critical policy enforcement failure within Google Chrome's extension architecture that existed prior to version 81.0.4044.92. This flaw specifically targets the browser's extension system where certain navigation restrictions are intended to prevent malicious extensions from accessing unauthorized resources or redirecting users to harmful websites. The issue stems from inadequate validation mechanisms that fail to properly enforce security policies governing extension behavior, particularly in scenarios involving user navigation and resource access.
Technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a remote attacker crafts a malicious HTML page that leverages the insufficient policy enforcement to bypass established navigation restrictions. The flaw allows extensions to circumvent the normal security boundaries that should prevent them from navigating to arbitrary URLs or accessing specific resources within the browser environment. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege that should govern extension behavior, enabling malicious actors to potentially redirect users to phishing sites or access sensitive data without proper authorization. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-693 category of Protection Mechanism Failure, specifically related to inadequate policy enforcement mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-6433 extends beyond simple navigation bypass, as it creates potential pathways for more sophisticated attacks within the browser ecosystem. Attackers could craft malicious extensions that appear benign to users while secretly redirecting them to malicious domains or harvesting credentials through carefully constructed navigation sequences. This vulnerability particularly affects users who rely on browser extensions for enhanced functionality, as it undermines the security assumptions that users make about extension behavior and the protection mechanisms that should safeguard their browsing sessions. The flaw also impacts enterprise environments where browser security policies are strictly enforced, as it provides a method for bypassing those policies through extension manipulation.
Organizations and users should immediately update to Chrome version 81.0.4044.92 or later to remediate this vulnerability, as the patch addresses the underlying policy enforcement mechanisms that were insufficiently protecting navigation restrictions. Security administrators should also conduct thorough reviews of installed extensions to identify any potentially malicious or compromised extensions that may have exploited this vulnerability during the affected time period. The remediation process should include monitoring for unusual navigation patterns or extension behavior that could indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date browser software and implementing comprehensive extension management policies as part of broader cybersecurity strategies. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a technique involving privilege escalation and defense evasion through manipulation of browser security controls, highlighting the need for layered security approaches that go beyond traditional endpoint protection measures.