CVE-2004-0720 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE
Safari 1.2.2 does not properly prevent a frame in one domain from injecting content into a frame that belongs to another domain, which facilitates web site spoofing and other attacks, aka the frame injection vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/18/2018
The frame injection vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0720 represents a critical security flaw in Apple Safari version 1.2.2 that fundamentally undermines the browser's cross-domain security model. This vulnerability stems from the browser's improper implementation of the same-origin policy, a core security mechanism that prevents web pages from accessing content across different domains. The flaw allows malicious actors to exploit the frame injection technique by placing one frame within another frame, where the inner frame can inject content into the outer frame despite belonging to different domains, effectively bypassing the security boundaries that should separate web content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of HTML frames and the window object's frame properties. When a web page attempts to access or modify content within a frame from a different domain, Safari 1.2.2 fails to enforce proper security restrictions that should prevent such cross-domain access. This flaw specifically affects the browser's handling of nested frames where the inner frame can manipulate the parent frame's content through JavaScript or direct DOM manipulation, creating a pathway for unauthorized content injection that violates the fundamental principles of web security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, creating significant opportunities for malicious actors to conduct sophisticated attacks including website spoofing, credential theft, and cross-site scripting. Attackers can craft malicious web pages that load legitimate websites within frames and then inject malicious content into those frames, making it appear as though the legitimate site is performing the malicious actions. This capability enables attackers to create convincing phishing pages that can bypass user security warnings and trust indicators, as the injected content appears to originate from the legitimate domain. The vulnerability also facilitates more advanced attacks such as session hijacking and data exfiltration, where attackers can extract sensitive information from frames that should be protected by cross-domain restrictions.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-94, which describes the weakness of allowing code to be injected into a program, and specifically relates to the improper enforcement of the same-origin policy in web browsers. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving web-based attacks and credential access, particularly T1566 for spearphishing with attachments and T1071 for application layer protocol usage. The attack surface is particularly dangerous because it leverages the trust users place in legitimate websites, making it difficult to detect and prevent. The vulnerability demonstrates a critical failure in the browser's security architecture and represents a fundamental flaw in how the browser handles cross-domain frame relationships, creating a persistent risk for users who browse the web with the affected version of Safari.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability include immediate upgrading to a patched version of Safari that properly enforces cross-domain security restrictions. System administrators should ensure all users are updated to Safari 1.3 or later versions that contain the necessary security patches. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of visiting untrusted websites and the importance of keeping their browsers updated. Network administrators may need to implement additional security measures such as content filtering and monitoring for suspicious frame injection attempts, though the most effective defense remains the proper patching of the affected browser version. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and security monitoring solutions that can detect and prevent frame injection attempts.