CVE-2022-1146 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 07/23/2022
Inappropriate implementation in Resource Timing in Google Chrome prior to 100.0.4896.60 allowed a remote attacker to leak cross-origin data via a crafted HTML page.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2022
The vulnerability in question represents a critical resource timing information disclosure issue within Google Chrome browsers running versions prior to 100.0.4896.60. This flaw resides in the browser's implementation of the Resource Timing API which is designed to provide performance metrics for resources loaded by a web page. The Resource Timing API serves as a crucial tool for developers to measure loading performance and identify bottlenecks in web applications, but it also contains sensitive information about network requests and their timing characteristics.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate cross-origin resource validation within the Resource Timing implementation. When a web page attempts to access timing information for resources loaded from different origins, the browser should enforce strict security boundaries to prevent unauthorized data leakage. However, this vulnerability allowed malicious actors to craft specific HTML pages that could bypass these security mechanisms and extract timing data from cross-origin resources. The flaw essentially creates a pathway for attackers to gather information about network requests that should remain isolated between different domains.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, creating potential attack vectors for more sophisticated reconnaissance activities. Attackers could leverage this weakness to map network topology, identify server response patterns, and potentially infer the presence of specific services or application architectures. This information leakage could serve as a foundation for further attacks targeting other vulnerabilities within the same infrastructure. The vulnerability particularly affects scenarios where users visit malicious websites that attempt to gather timing information from legitimate cross-origin resources, enabling attackers to build detailed profiles of target systems and their network behaviors.
Security researchers have classified this issue under CWE-200, which addresses information exposure through improper access control mechanisms. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1082, which covers system information discovery, as it enables attackers to gather system and network characteristics that would normally be protected by cross-origin restrictions. Additionally, this flaw demonstrates the importance of proper sandboxing and isolation mechanisms within browser environments, where the Resource Timing API should never be allowed to leak information across origin boundaries without proper authorization.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves updating to Google Chrome version 100.0.4896.60 or later, which includes fixes for the resource timing implementation. Organizations should also consider implementing additional network-level protections such as strict content security policies that limit cross-origin resource access and monitor for suspicious timing information requests. Browser vendors and security teams should continue to review and strengthen cross-origin isolation mechanisms, particularly in APIs that provide performance metrics or timing information that could potentially reveal system characteristics to unauthorized parties.