CVE-2026-17970 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 07/30/2026
Insufficient validation of untrusted input in Passwords in Google Chrome prior to 151.0.7922.72 allowed an attacker in a privileged network position to perform UI spoofing via malicious network traffic. (Chromium security severity: Low)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical weakness in Google Chrome's input validation mechanisms that could enable attackers to manipulate user interfaces through carefully crafted network traffic. The flaw existed in versions prior to 151.0.7922.72 and specifically targeted the handling of untrusted password input data, creating an environment where malicious actors could exploit network position privileges to deceive users into interacting with fraudulent interface elements. The vulnerability falls under the category of insufficient input validation, which is classified as CWE-20 by the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, and represents a significant concern for user interface security.
The technical implementation of this flaw allowed attackers positioned within a privileged network segment to inject malicious data streams that would be processed without proper validation checks. When Chrome received password-related information from untrusted sources, the application failed to adequately verify the integrity and legitimacy of this input before rendering it in the user interface. This omission created opportunities for attackers to manipulate how passwords were displayed or handled, potentially leading users to enter credentials into fraudulent forms or interfaces that appeared legitimate but were controlled by the attacker.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple deception, as it could enable more sophisticated attacks such as credential harvesting or phishing attempts that leverage user trust in the browser's interface. Users interacting with compromised networks might unknowingly provide sensitive authentication information to attacker-controlled elements that masqueraded as legitimate Chrome interface components. The low severity classification from Chromium security team does not diminish the potential for real-world exploitation, particularly in environments where network traffic interception is feasible.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate version updates to Chrome 151.0.7922.72 or later, which contain patches addressing the input validation gaps. Network administrators should implement additional monitoring for suspicious traffic patterns that might indicate attempts to exploit this vulnerability. Security teams should conduct thorough assessments of their network environments to identify potential privileged positions where attackers could leverage similar weaknesses. The vulnerability aligns with attack patterns described in the ATT&CK framework under the T1531 technique, which involves "Account Access Removal" and related UI manipulation tactics that can be used to compromise user authentication processes.
Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation strategies to limit the potential impact of privileged network positions, while maintaining regular security assessments to identify similar input validation weaknesses in other applications. The remediation process must include comprehensive testing to ensure that all password handling mechanisms properly validate untrusted input before processing or displaying any related interface elements. This vulnerability highlights the importance of defense-in-depth approaches where multiple layers of validation and verification protect against various attack vectors, particularly those that exploit user trust in familiar interface components.