CVE-2024-9963 is a security vulnerability that affects Google Chrome versions prior to 130..6723.58. The vulnerability is associated with insufficient data validation in Chrome Downloads. An attacker could potentially leverage this vulnerability to perform UI spoofing by tricking the user into performing specific UI gestures on a malicious HTML page. The Chromium security team has classified the severity of this vulnerability as "Medium". This post will cover the details of this vulnerability, briefly explain the concept of UI spoofing, and detail the possible repercussions.

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Background

User Interface (UI) Spoofing is a type of security vulnerability where an attacker manipulates the visual appearance of an application's interface. A successful UI spoofing attack can deceive users into performing unintended actions, such as clicking on a malicious link or entering sensitive information into a fake form.

In the case of CVE-2024-9963, the vulnerability exists due to insufficient data validation within Chrome's Downloads feature. A remote attacker can create a specially crafted HTML page to exploit this vulnerability and convince the user to interact with specific UI elements. The interaction with these specific UI elements on the malicious HTML page can then be used to perform a UI spoofing attack.

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Exploit Details

To demonstrate the exploit, consider the following code snippet that demonstrates a sample web page with a malicious download link:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>Sample Malicious Page - CVE-2024-9963</title>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>Welcome to our website!</h1>
  <p>To download the file, please click on the link below:</p>
  <a href="https://malicious.example.com/bad_file.zip"; download>Download Now</a>
</body>
</html>

In this example, the malicious HTML page consists of a download link (https://malicious.example.com/bad_file.zip). When a user interacts with this link, they might expect to see Chrome's normal download dialog. However, due to the vulnerability in Chrome's data validation, the attacker can manipulate the download dialog, deceiving the user into thinking they are downloading a legitimate file, when in reality, the downloaded file could be malicious.

To protect against this vulnerability, users should update their Chrome browser to version 130..6723.58 or later. Google has released this update to address the issue, and you can find more information about it in their official release notes.

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Mitigation and Recommendations

As mentioned earlier, the best way to protect against this vulnerability is to update your Chrome browser to the latest version. In addition to updating Chrome, users should practice safe browsing habits, including:

2. Verifying any downloaded files by checking their digital signatures or scanning them with an up-to-date antivirus software.
3. Being cautious about interacting with pop-ups, banners, or other UI elements that request sensitive information or prompt you to download files.

To stay informed about vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-9963 and other security issues, be sure to follow the Chromium Security Blog.

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Conclusion

CVE-2024-9963 highlights the importance of proper data validation in web applications and serves as a sobering reminder of the potential risks associated with UI spoofing attacks. By keeping your Chrome browser up-to-date, practicing safe browsing habits, and staying informed about security developments, you can protect yourself from similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Timeline

Published on: 10/15/2024 21:15:12 UTC
Last modified on: 10/17/2024 20:02:16 UTC