CVE-2024-3841: In-Depth Analysis of the Insufficient Data Validation Vulnerability in Google Chrome's Browser Switcher

The security vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-3841 affects Google Chrome versions prior to 124..6367.60. This issue is classified under Chromium security severity as Medium. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to inject scripts or HTML into privileged pages via malicious files, exploiting insufficient data validation in the Browser Switcher component of Google Chrome. In this article, we will delve deeper into the details of this vulnerability, review its exploit, and share code snippets to illustrate and understand the issue better. Finally, we will provide official references to safeguard against this vulnerability and ensure the continued secure usage of Google Chrome.

Vulnerability Details

The Browser Switcher is a component in Google Chrome dedicated to handling the options and actions related to switching between different web browsers. Prior to version 124..6367.60, the Browser Switcher did not adequately validate the data received from external sources such as browser add-ons or plugins, allowing the possibility of remote attackers executing code injection.

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker creates a malicious file that includes script or HTML code intended to compromise the security of privileged pages in Google Chrome. When a user interacts with this file, the attacker's code is executed in the privileged context, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data theft, and other malicious actions.

Code Snippets

Illustrating the vulnerability, the following code snippet demonstrates a potential payload for code injection into a privileged page due to insufficient data validation in the Browser Switcher:

// MaliciousFile.html
<script>
document.getElementById("browser-switcher").innerHTML = '<img src="x" onerror="alert(\'CVE-2024-3841 Exploited!\');" />';
</script>

When the user interacts with this malicious file, the Browser Switcher component of Google Chrome would not properly validate the data, leading to the execution of the attacker's JavaScript code in the privileged context.

Create a malicious HTML file containing the payload script, as shown in the previous section.

2. Distribute the malicious file through various methods such as email attachments, drive-by downloads, or social engineering attacks.

Trick the user into opening or interacting with the malicious file using a web browser.

4. Upon interaction, the attacker's code is executed in the privileged context of Google Chrome, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data theft, or other malicious actions.

Mitigation and References

To address this vulnerability, Google has released a security update in Chrome version 124..6367.60. Updating to this version or later is highly recommended for all users. The patch ensures proper validation of data in the Browser Switcher component, mitigating the risk of code injection attacks.

For more information on the official security advisory and patch details, refer to the following links:

- Google Chrome Release Blog
- CVE Details
- NVD - CVE-2024-3841

Conclusion

It is essential to stay vigilant and regularly update your software, including web browsers like Google Chrome, to protect against known vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-3841. As a user, you should always exercise caution while interacting with external files, especially from unknown sources, to minimize the risk of exploitation. On the development side, robust data validation mechanisms should be employed to prevent code injection and other security issues.

Timeline

Published on: 04/17/2024 08:15:10 UTC
Last modified on: 07/03/2024 02:06:40 UTC