Page message borrows unintended browser-extension authority
An ordinary web page reaches a privileged extension action through insufficient message sender or argument validation.
Candidate CWE: CWE-441 · CWE-863
Test hypothesis#
Capture one intended page-to-extension action; repeat through the same shipped listener from a second controlled origin or with one changed synthetic resource. Observe the protected marker or reversible action and compare a rejected sender control.
Evidence required#
Preserve installed ID/version, real page entry, browser-provided sender metadata, body fields, permission grants, final API call and receiving principal.
Rule out false positives#
Broad host permissions, an external messaging entry or extension-console access alone is not the flaw. Public data and deliberately delegated page actions may be intended.
Playbook and command references#
- Browser extensions: message authority and document lifetime — Trace real page messages into extension capabilities and test sender identity, navigation races, permission changes and worker restarts.
- Desktop IPC, Electron bridges and native protocols — Follow page, file and local-process inputs into privileged desktop capabilities with a realistic caller.
- Browser execution, cross-origin reads, and forged actions — Use real browser behavior to distinguish XSS, CSRF, CORS, and messaging failures from header-only leads.
Find the associated command snippets
Referenced by these target playbooks#
Report checklist#
- Capture the affected version, configuration, identities, and object ownership.
- Preserve a valid baseline and a negative control.
- Reproduce the forbidden data access, action, or state change on controlled fixtures.
- Explain the intended security rule and why the observed behavior violates it.
- State prerequisites, uncertainty, cleanup, and the smallest demonstrated impact.
Conditional ATT&CK mapping#
No direct ATT&CK mapping selected. Record the weakness and demonstrated impact without forcing an adversary-behavior classification. See the mapping guide.