CVE-2018-6051 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Google Chrome before version 64.0.3282.119 had a vulnerability in the XSS Auditor feature that could allow a remote attacker to access referrer details.

Understanding CVE-2018-6051

Before version 64.0.3282.119, the XSS Auditor feature in Google Chrome did not properly validate the origin of the reporting URL, enabling a potential security breach.

What is CVE-2018-6051?

The vulnerability in Google Chrome allowed a remote attacker to retrieve referrer details by exploiting a flaw in the XSS Auditor feature.

The Impact of CVE-2018-6051

This vulnerability could be exploited by a malicious actor to obtain sensitive referrer information through a carefully crafted HTML page.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-6051

Google Chrome's XSS Auditor feature prior to version 64.0.3282.119 lacked proper validation, leading to a security loophole.

Vulnerability Description

The XSS Auditor in Google Chrome did not verify if the reporting URL was from the same origin as the current page, enabling attackers to access referrer details.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Chrome
Vendor: Google
Versions Affected: < 64.0.3282.119

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers could exploit this vulnerability by creating a specially crafted HTML page to retrieve referrer details.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2018-6051, users and organizations should take immediate and long-term security measures.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Google Chrome to a version beyond 64.0.3282.119 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Exercise caution while browsing and avoid clicking on suspicious links or visiting untrusted websites.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update browsers and software to the latest versions to patch known vulnerabilities.
Implement web security best practices to prevent XSS attacks and other web-based threats.

Patching and Updates

Google released a fix in version 64.0.3282.119 to address the XSS Auditor vulnerability.