CVE-2025-0446 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 01/15/2025
Inappropriate implementation in Extensions in Google Chrome prior to 132.0.6834.83 allowed a remote attacker who convinced a user to engage in specific UI gestures to perform UI spoofing via a crafted Chrome Extension. (Chromium security severity: Low)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/19/2025
This vulnerability resides in the extensions subsystem of google chrome browsers version 132.0.6834.83 and earlier, representing an inappropriate implementation that enables remote attackers to execute ui spoofing attacks through malicious chrome extensions. The flaw specifically exploits user interaction patterns where an attacker must convince a victim to perform particular ui gestures, which then triggers the spoofing mechanism within the extension framework. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of ui redressing or ui spoofing attacks that manipulate user interface elements to deceive users into performing unintended actions. The chromium security severity rating of low indicates the vulnerability's relative impact, though it still represents a significant risk in targeted attack scenarios where social engineering elements are employed.
The technical implementation flaw stems from inadequate validation and handling of ui elements within chrome extensions, particularly when these extensions attempt to manipulate or overlay user interface components. Attackers can craft malicious extensions that appear legitimate but contain code designed to spoof ui elements by creating deceptive interfaces that mimic trusted browser components. This allows attackers to trick users into revealing sensitive information or performing unintended actions through carefully crafted ui gestures that the user believes to be part of normal browser operations. The vulnerability specifically leverages the extension permission model and ui rendering capabilities to create misleading interfaces that can deceive even technically savvy users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables more sophisticated attacks through social engineering and user manipulation techniques. When successfully exploited, attackers can create convincing fake interfaces that appear to be legitimate browser components, potentially leading to credential theft, data exfiltration, or unauthorized transactions. The requirement for specific ui gestures suggests that the attack vector may be more targeted and less automated, but this also means that users who are tricked into performing the required gestures are likely to be deceived by the spoofed interface. This vulnerability represents a significant concern in environments where users may be targeted through phishing campaigns or other social engineering attacks that involve browser extensions.
Mitigation strategies should focus on both user education and technical controls within the browser environment. Users must be trained to recognize potentially malicious ui elements and to carefully verify extension permissions before installation. Browser vendors should implement enhanced extension validation mechanisms and stricter ui element rendering controls to prevent unauthorized spoofing. The recommended solution involves updating to chrome version 132.0.6834.83 or later, which includes patches specifically addressing the extension ui spoofing vulnerability. Organizations should also implement extension whitelisting policies and regularly audit installed extensions to ensure no malicious components are present. Security teams should monitor for suspicious extension behavior and maintain awareness of potential social engineering campaigns targeting browser ui elements. This vulnerability aligns with attack patterns documented in the attack tree framework where ui manipulation serves as a precursor to more serious security incidents.
The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with cwes such as cwe-611 information exposure through ui manipulation and cwe-20 improper input validation in ui element handling. It also maps to several attack techniques in the mitre att&ck framework including t1059 command and scripting interpreter and t1566 phishing as the primary attack vectors. The low severity rating does not diminish the practical impact of this vulnerability in targeted attacks where attackers can leverage social engineering to overcome the requirement for specific ui gestures, making it a potentially dangerous vulnerability in the right circumstances.