CVE-2022-2861 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 09/26/2022
Inappropriate implementation in Extensions API in Google Chrome prior to 104.0.5112.101 allowed an attacker who convinced a user to install a malicious extension to inject arbitrary scripts into WebUI via a crafted HTML page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/22/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-2861 represents a critical security flaw within Google Chrome's Extensions API implementation that existed prior to version 104.0.5112.101. This issue stems from an inadequate validation mechanism that fails to properly sanitize user-supplied content when processing extension installations. The flaw specifically affects the WebUI component of Chrome's extension management system, creating a potential attack vector where malicious actors could exploit user trust to install harmful extensions that subsequently enable code injection attacks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on the principle of privilege escalation through extension installation. When a user installs a malicious extension, the extension's WebUI components become accessible to the attacker. The improper implementation allows for arbitrary script injection via crafted HTML pages, effectively bypassing Chrome's security boundaries. This occurs because the Extensions API does not adequately validate or sanitize HTML content that extension developers provide, creating a pathway for malicious code execution within the browser's trusted environment. The vulnerability manifests when the browser processes HTML content from an extension's WebUI, where insufficient input validation permits attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute with the privileges of the extension.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the victim's browser environment. An attacker could potentially extract sensitive user data, hijack browser sessions, perform cross-site scripting attacks against other websites, or even escalate privileges to access system resources. The attack requires social engineering to convince users to install the malicious extension, but once installed, the extension can execute arbitrary code within the browser's context, potentially compromising the entire user session. This vulnerability directly impacts the browser's security model by undermining the isolation between extensions and the core browser functionality, creating a persistent threat vector that can remain active until the extension is removed or the browser is updated.
Organizations and users should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Chrome version 104.0.5112.101 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the validation gaps in the Extensions API. Browser administrators should also consider implementing additional security measures such as extension whitelisting policies, regular extension audits, and user education about the risks of installing unknown extensions. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, and represents a specific instance of the broader ATT&CK technique T1176 - Browser Extensions, where attackers leverage browser extension mechanisms to establish persistent access. Security teams should monitor for unusual extension behavior, implement network-based detection measures for suspicious HTML content, and maintain updated threat intelligence to identify potential exploitation attempts. The fix implemented by Google addresses the root cause by strengthening input validation in the WebUI component of the Extensions API, ensuring that all user-supplied HTML content is properly sanitized before processing.