CVE-2022-4926 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 07/29/2023
Insufficient policy enforcement in Intents in Google Chrome on Android prior to 109.0.5414.119 allowed a remote attacker to bypass same origin policy via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/24/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-4926 represents a critical weakness in Google Chrome's implementation of intent handling on Android platforms. This flaw resides within the browser's security model for managing cross-origin communication through intent mechanisms that are fundamental to Android application interactions. The issue manifests when Chrome fails to properly enforce security policies associated with intent objects, creating a pathway for malicious actors to circumvent the browser's core same origin policy protections. The vulnerability affects Chrome versions prior to 109.0.5414.119, indicating a significant window of exposure for users running outdated browser versions. The Chromium security severity rating of Medium reflects the potential impact of this flaw, which could enable attackers to execute unauthorized cross-origin operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation within Chrome's intent processing pipeline. When a web page attempts to trigger an intent that would normally be restricted by same origin policy, the browser's security checks fail to properly validate the originating context or the target intent parameters. This allows a malicious HTML page to craft specific intent requests that bypass normal security boundaries. The flaw specifically relates to how Chrome handles intent objects that are used to communicate between web content and native Android applications, creating an unintended pathway for privilege escalation. Attackers can exploit this by constructing a malicious webpage that uses crafted intent parameters to access resources or perform actions that should be restricted by the same origin policy.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple cross-origin access violations and could enable sophisticated attack scenarios involving privilege escalation and data exfiltration. A remote attacker could potentially manipulate Chrome's intent handling to access sensitive user data, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of the user, or gain access to system resources that should remain protected. The vulnerability particularly affects Android users who rely on Chrome for web browsing, as the intent mechanism is commonly used for features like sharing content, opening external applications, and accessing device functionality. This flaw essentially undermines the fundamental security boundary that separates web content from native application access, creating a potential attack surface for various malicious activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-4926 primarily focus on immediate browser updates and security configuration adjustments. Users should immediately upgrade to Chrome version 109.0.5414.119 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed through enhanced intent validation mechanisms. Security administrators should implement network-level monitoring to detect suspicious intent-related traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix implemented by Google involves strengthening the validation checks for intent parameters and ensuring that all intent objects are properly scoped according to origin policies. This aligns with security best practices outlined in the CWE-284 access control weakness category, which emphasizes the importance of proper authorization controls in software systems. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security layers such as content security policies and intent filtering mechanisms to provide defense in depth against similar vulnerabilities.
The vulnerability demonstrates the complexity of modern browser security models, particularly when integrating with platform-specific features like Android intents. It highlights the challenges of maintaining consistent security boundaries when web content interacts with native operating system capabilities. This flaw serves as a reminder of the importance of comprehensive security testing for cross-platform features and the need for robust input validation in all components of the browser stack. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under privilege escalation and defense evasion techniques, as it allows attackers to bypass security controls and potentially escalate their access privileges within the browser environment. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to intent-based attacks and maintain updated threat intelligence regarding similar vulnerabilities in web browser implementations.