CVE-2026-95309 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 09/29/2026
UI misrepresentation in Mobile in Google Chrome on on iOS prior to 154.0.8037.57 allowed a remote attacker to spoof UI elements via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Low)
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/29/2026
The vulnerability identified as a user interface misrepresentation issue within the mobile version of Google Chrome on iOS, specifically affecting versions prior to 154.0.8037.57, represents a significant risk related to social engineering and phishing attacks. This flaw allows a remote attacker to manipulate the visual presentation of web content in such a way that it mimics legitimate system interfaces or trusted applications. By crafting an HTML page with specific styling and structural elements, an adversary can overlay deceptive UI components over genuine browser controls or webpage content. The primary objective of this technique is to deceive users into believing they are interacting with a secure, official interface when they are actually engaging with malicious code designed to harvest credentials, session tokens, or other sensitive information.
From a technical perspective, the root cause lies in how the rendering engine handles layering and z-index properties on iOS devices within the Chrome browser context. The attacker exploits inconsistencies in CSS positioning and visibility rules to create an illusion of legitimacy. For instance, by manipulating transparency levels, absolute positioning, and event handling, the malicious page can make its deceptive elements appear as native buttons or input fields belonging to the operating system or a trusted domain. This misrepresentation bypasses standard user trust mechanisms because the visual cues that typically indicate security, such as lock icons or correct URL displays, are obscured or replaced by counterfeit equivalents crafted through HTML and CSS manipulation rather than actual cryptographic validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is predominantly centered around credential theft and unauthorized access. Users who encounter these spoofed interfaces may inadvertently submit login credentials for banking services, email accounts, or corporate portals to the attacker-controlled server. Because the deception occurs at the user interface level rather than through a direct exploitation of memory corruption or code execution flaws, it relies heavily on human error and lack of vigilance. This makes detection difficult without specialized security awareness training or advanced browser-based protection mechanisms that analyze behavioral patterns rather than just static content signatures. The severity is classified as low by Chromium standards because the exploit requires user interaction to be effective, but its potential for widespread social engineering attacks keeps it a critical concern for enterprise and personal device security postures.
To mitigate this risk, users are strongly advised to update Google Chrome on iOS to version 154.0.8037.57 or later immediately upon availability. This patch addresses the underlying rendering inconsistencies that allowed the UI spoofing technique to succeed. In addition to software updates, organizations should implement multi-factor authentication for all critical services to reduce the value of stolen credentials obtained through such phishing attempts. Security awareness programs should educate users on verifying URL accuracy and looking for subtle discrepancies in interface design, as attackers often fail to perfectly replicate every detail of native iOS UI elements. Furthermore, enabling strict content security policies and utilizing browser extensions that highlight mixed content or suspicious redirects can provide an additional layer of defense against these sophisticated social engineering attacks.
This vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) category CWE-1021: Improper Restriction of Rendered UI Layers or Frames, which describes flaws where the rendering order allows malicious elements to obscure legitimate ones. It also maps directly to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1566.002: Spearphishing Link, as it involves delivering a crafted link that leads to a deceptive interface designed to steal information. Understanding these mappings helps security teams categorize the threat correctly within their broader defense-in-depth strategies and prioritize remediation efforts based on both technical severity and potential business impact.