CVE-2026-17819 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 07/30/2026
Inappropriate implementation in WebAppInstalls in Google Chrome prior to 151.0.7922.72 allowed a remote attacker to perform UI spoofing via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2026
This vulnerability resides within the WebAppInstalls component of Google Chrome, representing a UI spoofing weakness that could be exploited by remote attackers through maliciously crafted HTML content. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and insufficient sanitization mechanisms when processing web application installation prompts, creating an opportunity for attackers to manipulate the user interface elements displayed during the installation process. Such vulnerabilities typically arise from improper handling of user-supplied content within browser components responsible for rendering interactive elements.
The technical implementation issue manifests when Chrome processes web applications that attempt to install themselves through the web app installation API. The vulnerability occurs because the browser fails to properly validate or sanitize the visual elements associated with installation prompts, allowing attackers to inject malicious content that can alter the appearance and behavior of legitimate installation interfaces. This represents a classic case of insufficient user interface validation where attacker-controlled HTML content can influence the presentation layer without proper security boundaries.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables remote code execution through social engineering attacks by making users believe they are interacting with legitimate installation prompts while actually engaging with malicious content. The medium severity classification indicates that while exploitation requires user interaction and specific conditions, the potential impact includes unauthorized application installations, data theft, and possible privilege escalation depending on the victim's system configuration. Attackers could craft convincing fake installation pages that appear legitimate to users, leveraging the trust users place in browser-based installation processes.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-601 and CWE-79 security weaknesses, specifically addressing URL redirection issues and cross-site scripting vulnerabilities within browser components. It also maps to ATT&CK technique T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) where attackers leverage browser vulnerabilities to execute malicious code through compromised installation processes. Organizations should implement immediate patch management strategies to address this vulnerability, ensuring all Chrome installations are updated to version 151.0.7922.72 or later. Additional mitigations include network-based filtering to block suspicious installation-related content and user education regarding verification of legitimate installation prompts before proceeding with any web application installations.
Security teams should monitor for potential exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis, particularly looking for unusual patterns in web application installation requests and cross-origin resource sharing activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining robust input validation across all browser components, especially those handling user interface elements that users interact with during critical operations like software installation processes. Regular security assessments of browser-based application installation APIs should be conducted to identify similar implementation gaps that could lead to UI manipulation attacks.