CVE-2024-22291 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability identified in the Browser Theme Color extension developed by Marco Milesi, affecting versions up to 1.3. CSRF vulnerabilities allow an attacker to trick an authenticated user into submitting a malicious request to a web application or browser extension without their consent. In this case, the vulnerability lies in the Browser Theme Color extension, which presumably manages or customizes browser theme colors. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.3 (medium severity) reflects that the attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires no privileges (PR:N), but does require user interaction (UI:R). The impact is limited to integrity (I:L) with no confidentiality (C:N) or availability (A:N) impact. This means an attacker could potentially cause unauthorized changes to the extension’s settings or behavior, such as altering theme colors, by tricking the user into visiting a malicious webpage or clicking a crafted link. However, the vulnerability does not allow direct data theft or denial of service. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-352, which is a common web security weakness related to CSRF attacks. The lack of required privileges and the need for user interaction suggest that exploitation is feasible but requires social engineering or user involvement. The extension’s role in browser customization means the impact is primarily cosmetic or user experience related, but could be leveraged as part of a broader attack chain if combined with other vulnerabilities or social engineering tactics.

For European organizations, the direct impact of this vulnerability is relatively limited given the medium severity and the nature of the affected product—a browser theme extension. However, organizations with employees or users who install this extension could face risks of unauthorized changes to browser appearance or settings, which might be used to facilitate phishing or social engineering attacks by altering visual cues. While no direct data breach or system compromise is indicated, the integrity impact could undermine user trust or be a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks if attackers combine this with other vulnerabilities. Organizations in sectors with high security requirements (e.g., finance, government, critical infrastructure) should be cautious about browser extensions and their security posture. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of managing browser extensions within enterprise environments to prevent potential misuse. Since no known exploits are reported, the immediate risk is low, but vigilance is warranted as attackers may develop exploits over time.

1. Organizations should audit and restrict the use of browser extensions, especially those not vetted or widely trusted, including Browser Theme Color. 2. Implement browser policies via group policy or enterprise management tools to whitelist approved extensions and block unapproved ones. 3. Educate users about the risks of clicking on suspicious links or visiting untrusted websites, as exploitation requires user interaction. 4. Monitor for updates or patches from the vendor and apply them promptly once available. 5. Consider deploying browser security extensions or tools that detect and block CSRF attempts or suspicious extension behavior. 6. Use Content Security Policy (CSP) and other browser security features to limit the impact of malicious web content. 7. Regularly review browser extension permissions and remove unnecessary or unused extensions to reduce attack surface.