CVE-2025-5066 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 05/28/2025
Inappropriate implementation in Messages in Google Chrome on Android prior to 137.0.7151.55 allowed a remote attacker who convinced a user to engage in specific UI gestures to perform UI spoofing via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/28/2025
This vulnerability resides in the Messages application component of Google Chrome on Android systems, representing a UI spoofing flaw that exploits user interaction patterns to deceive victims into believing they are engaging with legitimate system interfaces. The issue manifests when a remote attacker crafts a malicious HTML page that can manipulate the user interface through specific gesture sequences, creating a deceptive environment that mimics legitimate system behaviors. The vulnerability specifically affects Chrome versions prior to 137.0.7151.55, indicating that the flaw was introduced in a particular codebase revision and subsequently patched in the mentioned version. The security severity classification of Medium by Chromium indicates that while this vulnerability does not directly compromise system integrity or data confidentiality, it presents a significant risk to user trust and interface authenticity.
The technical implementation flaw stems from inadequate validation of user interface elements within the Messages component, where the system fails to properly distinguish between legitimate and malicious UI states during user interaction sequences. This allows attackers to craft HTML content that can manipulate the visual presentation and behavioral responses of the interface, effectively creating a false representation of system functionality. The vulnerability requires specific user gestures to be triggered, suggesting that it operates through a combination of user interaction and HTML manipulation rather than purely automated exploitation. This design pattern aligns with CWE-611, which addresses improper access control in web applications, and represents a form of UI redressing attack that violates user expectations of interface authenticity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple deception to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks through social engineering. When users are tricked into performing specific UI gestures on a malicious page, they may inadvertently grant permissions or perform actions they would not normally undertake, creating a pathway for further exploitation. The attack vector requires user engagement, making it particularly challenging to defend against since it relies on human factors rather than purely technical vulnerabilities. This characteristic places the vulnerability within the ATT&CK framework's T1566 category, which covers social engineering techniques, and specifically relates to T1059 which deals with command and scripting interpreters. The medium severity classification suggests that while the immediate impact may be limited to interface manipulation, the potential for escalation exists through user confusion and the exploitation of trust-based interactions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on both user education and system-level protections. Users must be trained to recognize suspicious interface behaviors and understand the importance of verifying system prompts before performing gestures. System-level protections include implementing stricter validation of UI elements, requiring explicit user confirmation for interface changes, and establishing more robust sandboxing mechanisms for HTML content rendering. The patch released in Chrome version 137.0.7151.55 likely includes modifications to how the Messages component handles user interface state changes and gesture recognition, preventing malicious HTML pages from manipulating the visual representation of system functions. Organizations should ensure immediate deployment of the patched version and consider implementing additional monitoring for unusual user interaction patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of continuous security testing for mobile browser components and the need for robust security frameworks that can prevent UI-based deception attacks.