CVE-2020-6497 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Insufficient policy enforcement in Omnibox in Google Chrome on iOS prior to 83.0.4103.88 allowed a remote attacker to perform domain spoofing via a crafted URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-6497 represents a critical security flaw in Google Chrome's Omnibox implementation on iOS platforms. This issue stems from insufficient policy enforcement mechanisms that govern how URIs are processed and displayed within the browser's address bar. The vulnerability specifically affects Chrome versions prior to 83.0.4103.88, creating a window of exposure where malicious actors could exploit the weak validation processes to manipulate user perceptions about website authenticity. The flaw operates at the intersection of user interface trust and protocol handling, fundamentally undermining the security model that users rely upon when navigating the web.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves the improper validation of Uniform Resource Identifiers within Chrome's Omnibox component on iOS devices. When processing crafted URIs, the browser fails to adequately enforce domain validation policies that should prevent malicious actors from creating deceptive address bar presentations. This weakness allows attackers to construct malicious URLs that appear legitimate to users while actually directing them to harmful destinations. The flaw specifically targets the visual presentation layer of the browser's address bar, where domain information is displayed, enabling attackers to manipulate the perceived origin of web content through carefully crafted input sequences.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple visual deception to potentially enable sophisticated phishing attacks and credential theft operations. Users interacting with compromised web pages could be misled into believing they are visiting trusted domains while actually being directed to malicious sites. This domain spoofing capability creates opportunities for attackers to harvest sensitive information including login credentials, personal data, and financial information. The vulnerability's exploitation requires no local privileges and can be executed remotely through web-based attacks, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently interact with web content. The attack surface is broad as it affects all iOS users of vulnerable Chrome versions, potentially exposing millions of users to targeted deception campaigns.
Security researchers have classified this vulnerability under CWE-20, which describes "Improper Input Validation" as the underlying weakness. The flaw demonstrates how insufficient validation of user-supplied input can lead to security breaches in browser components that handle web addresses and domain information. From an attacker perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1566 category, which covers "Phishing" tactics. The vulnerability's exploitation methodology involves crafting malicious URIs that bypass Chrome's domain validation checks, creating deceptive user experiences that can be leveraged for various malicious purposes including credential harvesting and malware delivery.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate upgrade to Chrome version 83.0.4103.88 or later, which includes the necessary policy enforcement mechanisms to prevent domain spoofing attacks. Organizations should implement comprehensive browser update policies to ensure all iOS devices running Chrome are kept current with security patches. Additional protective measures include user education about recognizing potential phishing attempts, implementation of network-level security controls such as web application firewalls, and monitoring for suspicious domain registration patterns that may indicate coordinated attack campaigns. Security teams should also consider deploying browser security extensions and implementing content security policies to add additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities. The fix addresses the root cause by strengthening the URI validation logic within the Omnibox component, ensuring that domain information displayed to users accurately reflects the actual web resource being accessed.