CVE-2024-3840 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 04/17/2024
Insufficient policy enforcement in Site Isolation in Google Chrome prior to 124.0.6367.60 allowed a remote attacker to bypass navigation restrictions via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-3840 represents a critical flaw in Google Chrome's Site Isolation implementation that existed prior to version 124.0.6367.60. This security weakness specifically targets the browser's ability to enforce strict isolation policies between different websites and web applications. The issue stems from inadequate enforcement mechanisms within Chrome's security architecture that govern how separate browsing contexts interact with each other, particularly during navigation operations. Site Isolation serves as a fundamental security feature designed to prevent malicious websites from accessing data from other sites by maintaining strict boundaries between different origins and their respective memory spaces.
The technical flaw manifests when a remote attacker crafts a specially designed HTML page that exploits weaknesses in Chrome's policy enforcement system. This crafted page leverages the insufficient boundaries between different site contexts to bypass navigation restrictions that should normally prevent cross-site access. The vulnerability operates at a low level within Chrome's rendering engine, specifically targeting the mechanisms that govern how navigation decisions are made between different origins. Attackers can manipulate these navigation paths to redirect users or access resources that should remain isolated from the current browsing context, effectively undermining the security model that Site Isolation is designed to provide.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple navigation bypasses and represents a significant threat to user privacy and data protection. When successfully exploited, the vulnerability allows attackers to potentially access sensitive information from other websites that users may have visited, particularly in scenarios involving multiple tabs or windows. This could enable attackers to perform cross-site scripting attacks, access session tokens, or retrieve confidential data that should remain protected within isolated contexts. The medium severity classification reflects the potential for data exposure and privacy violations, though the actual exploitation requires specific conditions and user interaction. This vulnerability particularly affects users who maintain multiple browsing sessions or access sensitive applications through Chrome, as it could enable attackers to bridge security boundaries between different trust domains.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-3840 primarily focus on updating to the patched version of Chrome 124.0.6367.60 or later, which addresses the insufficient policy enforcement mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems receive the update promptly. Browser administrators should also consider implementing additional security measures such as content security policies and strict sandboxing configurations. From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with attack patterns classified under CWE-284 Access Control and may be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter when used in conjunction with other attack vectors. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to suspicious navigation patterns or unexpected cross-site resource access attempts, particularly in environments where users frequently access multiple sensitive applications through the same browser instance. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and highlights the critical nature of proper isolation mechanisms in modern web browsers.