CVE-2026-106285 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 10/06/2026
UI misrepresentation in WebAppInstalls in Google Chrome prior to 155.0.8059.39 allowed a remote attacker leveraging social engineering to bypass system access restrictions via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Low)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2026
The vulnerability identified as UI misrepresentation within the WebAppInstalls component of Google Chrome prior to version 155.0.8059.39 represents a significant trust boundary violation that exploits user interface deception rather than traditional code execution flaws. This issue stems from an inconsistency in how the browser renders installation prompts for Progressive Web Apps or similar web-based applications, allowing a remote attacker to manipulate the visual presentation of these dialogs. By crafting a specific HTML page, an adversary can create a scenario where the displayed information does not accurately reflect the actual permissions being requested or the identity of the entity requesting access. This discrepancy is critical because it undermines the user's ability to make informed security decisions based on the interface cues provided by the browser.
From a technical perspective, this flaw falls under the category of UI Redressing and Social Engineering attacks, which are formally categorized in the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) database as CWE-836: Use of Password Hash Instead of Password for Authentication or more broadly within the context of interface deception as part of broader social engineering vectors. The attacker leverages this misrepresentation to bypass system access restrictions by convincing users that a malicious application is legitimate, safe, or originating from a trusted source. When a user interacts with the deceptive prompt under false pretenses, they may inadvertently grant elevated privileges or install software that can subsequently be used for further exploitation, such as data exfiltration or persistent malware installation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is primarily tied to its reliance on social engineering tactics. While the browser itself does not suffer from a direct memory corruption or remote code execution flaw in this specific instance, the consequence of user interaction with the manipulated interface can be severe. An attacker who successfully exploits this condition can trick users into installing malicious web apps that may have access to sensitive data stored locally by the browser, such as cookies, local storage contents, or other persistent data associated with the installed application. This effectively bypasses standard security controls designed to protect user privacy and system integrity through deception rather than technical exploitation of software bugs in the rendering engine itself.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability focus heavily on both immediate patching and long-term defensive posture improvements. The primary remediation is to update Google Chrome to version 155.0.8059.39 or later, where these UI inconsistencies have been addressed by Chromium developers to ensure that installation prompts accurately reflect the true nature of the request. Additionally, organizations should enforce strict content security policies and consider implementing browser hardening techniques that limit the scope of permissions granted to web applications. User awareness training is also crucial in this context, as educating employees about recognizing suspicious UI elements can reduce the success rate of social engineering attacks that rely on such misrepresentations. Monitoring for unusual installation activities or unexpected permission requests within managed environments can further aid in detecting attempts to exploit this weakness before significant damage occurs.