CVE-2023-4361 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 08/15/2023
Inappropriate implementation in Autofill in Google Chrome on Android prior to 116.0.5845.96 allowed a remote attacker to bypass Autofill restrictions via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/09/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-4361 represents a critical flaw in Google Chrome's Autofill implementation on Android platforms. This security weakness stems from an inadequate validation mechanism that fails to properly enforce restrictions on autofill functionality when processing maliciously crafted web content. The vulnerability specifically affects Chrome versions prior to 116.0.5845.96, where the browser's autofill system does not adequately distinguish between legitimate and malicious HTML elements that could manipulate user data submission processes. The flaw manifests when a remote attacker constructs a specially designed HTML page that exploits the incomplete implementation of autofill restrictions, potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive user information.
The technical implementation flaw lies in Chrome's insufficient validation of HTML form elements and their associated attributes during the autofill process. When users encounter a malicious webpage, the browser's autofill system may incorrectly interpret crafted form fields as legitimate input elements, bypassing the normal security checks that should prevent automatic data population from untrusted sources. This vulnerability falls under the category of improper input validation and inadequate access control mechanisms, aligning with CWE-20 which addresses "Improper Input Validation" and CWE-284 which covers "Improper Access Control." The vulnerability's medium severity rating from Chromium's security team reflects the potential for data exposure and privacy violation when users interact with compromised web content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data leakage, potentially enabling sophisticated phishing attacks and credential harvesting operations. Attackers can craft HTML pages that appear legitimate while exploiting the autofill bypass to capture sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and personal identification data. This creates a significant risk for users who frequently interact with web forms, particularly on mobile platforms where Chrome's Autofill feature is heavily utilized. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that users can be compromised simply by visiting malicious websites, without requiring any additional user interaction beyond normal browsing behavior. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers "Phishing" and T1071.004 which addresses "Application Layer Protocol: DNS" in the context of credential theft.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-4361 primarily focus on immediate software updates to the latest Chrome versions where the vulnerability has been patched. Users should ensure their Android devices are running Chrome 116.0.5845.96 or later, which includes enhanced validation mechanisms for form element processing. Organizations should implement comprehensive browser update policies and consider deploying automated patch management systems to ensure all devices remain protected against this and similar vulnerabilities. Network administrators can also implement web filtering solutions that block access to known malicious domains, though this provides only secondary protection. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability and consider conducting user awareness training to recognize potentially malicious web content. The patch addresses the core implementation flaw by strengthening the validation logic that determines which form elements should trigger autofill behavior, ensuring that only trusted, legitimate input fields can access user data stored in Chrome's autofill database.