The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) identifier CVE-2022-3660 discloses a medium-severity security vulnerability in Google Chrome on Android, which allows a remote attacker to conceal the contents of the Omnibox (URL bar) using a specially designed HTML page. This flaw affects Chrome for Android versions earlier than 107..5304.62. In this post, we'll delve into the details of this vulnerability, the potential risks it poses, and recommendations for mitigation.

Understanding the Vulnerability

In Chrome for Android, the Omnibox is an integral and essential component that allows users to access web addresses, perform searches, and view the URLs of loaded web pages. Hiding the Omnibox may mislead users into believing they're visiting a legitimate website, potentially paving the way for phishing attacks and exposure of sensitive information.

The vulnerability stems from an inappropriate implementation of full-screen mode in Chrome for Android, which can be abused to hide the Omnibox. By crafting a malicious HTML page, an attacker can hide the URL bar without users noticing, making it difficult for them to determine the authenticity of the loaded page.

The Exploit

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker creates an HTML page that uses JavaScript to manipulate the fullscreen API. For demonstration purposes, here's a simple code snippet that shows how an attacker can trigger malpractices:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>CVE-2022-3660 Exploit Sample</title>
</head>
<body>
    <button onclick="goFullscreen()">Enter Fullscreen</button>
     
    <script>
        function goFullscreen() {
            if (document.documentElement.requestFullscreen) {
                document.documentElement.requestFullscreen();
            } else if (document.documentElement.mozRequestFullScreen) { // Firefox
                document.documentElement.mozRequestFullScreen();
            } else if (document.documentElement.webkitRequestFullscreen) { // Chrome, Safari and Opera
                document.documentElement.webkitRequestFullscreen();
            } else if (document.documentElement.msRequestFullscreen) { // IE/Edge
                document.documentElement.msRequestFullscreen();
            }
        }
    </script>
</body>
</html>

This sample code demonstrates how to enter fullscreen mode with different browser engines. Although the code itself isn't malicious, it could be used as a building block for crafting an HTML page that conceals the Omnibox, leaving users susceptible to attacks.

Official References and Updates

This vulnerability was first detected and reported by the Chromium project, and they rated the security severity as medium. You can find additional information on CVE-2022-3660 through these official sources:

- Chromium Bug Tracker (Chromium issue 1328217): https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=1328217
- Chromium Security Link: https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/107..5304.62
- CVE Details: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-3660

Mitigations and Recommendations

Google has already addressed this issue in Chrome for Android version 107..5304.62. To protect against CVE-2022-3660, follow these steps:

1. Update your Chrome for Android browser to the latest version (107..5304.62 or later). Ensure automatic updates are enabled to keep your browser up-to-date with the latest security patches.
2. Exercise caution when visiting unfamiliar websites and clicking on links from untrusted sources. Verify the address in the Omnibox before entering sensitive data.

Conclusion

CVE-2022-3660 exposes a vulnerability in older versions of Chrome for Android, potentially enabling attackers to hide the Omnibox and deceive users into visiting fraudulent websites. It's crucial to keep your Chrome browser up-to-date and adopt responsible browsing habits to stay protected against the exploitation of this vulnerability.

Timeline

Published on: 11/01/2022 23:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 08/08/2023 14:22:00 UTC