CVE-2026-95279 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 09/29/2026
UI misrepresentation in Omnibox in Google Chrome on on Android prior to 154.0.8037.57 allowed a remote attacker to spoof address bar via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Low)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/29/2026
The vulnerability identified as UI misrepresentation in the Omnibox of Google Chrome for Android, specifically affecting versions prior to 154.0.8037.57, represents a significant trust boundary violation within the browser's user interface layer. The core technical flaw lies in how the address bar renders URLs and domain information when processing input from remote web pages. In this context, an attacker can craft a malicious HTML page that exploits inconsistencies or ambiguities in text rendering to create a visual illusion where the displayed URL appears legitimate while actually pointing to a different, potentially hostile destination. This type of flaw is classified under CWE-1023 as a list of errors including misrepresentation issues and falls squarely into the MITRE ATT&CK technique T1498.002, which involves network spoofing through UI redressing attacks. The severity is rated as low by Chromium security standards because it requires user interaction to trigger but carries high potential for social engineering success due to its reliance on visual deception rather than code execution or memory corruption.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables a remote attacker to perform phishing campaigns with heightened efficacy. By manipulating the appearance of the Omnibox, the attacker can make a malicious site appear as if it is hosted on a trusted domain such as a major bank, social media platform, or search engine. Users relying solely on visual cues in the address bar may be deceived into entering sensitive credentials, personal identifiable information, or financial data without realizing they are interacting with an illegitimate service. The attack vector typically involves hosting the crafted HTML page on a server controlled by the attacker and luring victims via phishing emails, malicious advertisements, or compromised websites to visit the URL. Once the victim navigates to the site, the browser renders the deceptive UI elements, creating a false sense of security that bypasses user vigilance regarding domain verification.
The impact extends beyond immediate credential theft as it undermines the fundamental trust model of web browsers. Users depend on the integrity of the address bar to verify identity and authenticity; when this component is compromised through visual spoofing, the entire chain of trust for online transactions and communications is weakened. Although the vulnerability does not allow direct code execution or privilege escalation within the browser process itself, it facilitates secondary attacks such as session hijacking if users reuse passwords across sites or fall victim to subsequent malware downloads disguised as legitimate software updates on the spoofed page. The low severity rating reflects the fact that modern browsers have implemented various mitigations like HTTPS enforcement and visual indicators for secure connections, which can partially offset this risk, but do not fully eliminate the possibility of sophisticated UI manipulation attacks targeting less security-conscious users or specific rendering edge cases in older Android versions.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve updating to a patched version of Google Chrome on Android where these rendering inconsistencies have been resolved by the Chromium development team. Users should ensure their browsers are configured to display full URLs rather than truncated domains, as this reduces the effectiveness of visual spoofing techniques that rely on hiding malicious subdomains or path components. Additionally, enabling strict HTTPS-only modes and utilizing security extensions that validate certificate details can provide additional layers of verification beyond what the UI alone offers. Security awareness training remains critical in educating users to scrutinize every character in a URL rather than relying on brand logos or partial matches displayed by the browser interface. Organizations should enforce mobile device management policies that mandate up-to-date browsers and restrict installation of unverified applications that might interfere with secure browsing practices, thereby reducing the attack surface for such UI-based social engineering exploits.