CVE-2004-0762 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Mozilla before 1.7, Firefox before 0.9, and Thunderbird before 0.7, allow remote web sites to install arbitrary extensions by using interactive events to manipulate the XPInstall Security dialog box.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/09/2021
This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in the Mozilla application suite that affected versions prior to 1.7 for Mozilla, 0.9 for Firefox, and 0.7 for Thunderbird. The issue stems from inadequate security controls within the XPInstall system, which is responsible for managing extension installations in these browsers. Attackers could exploit this weakness by crafting malicious web pages that manipulate the security dialog box through interactive events, effectively bypassing the intended user consent mechanisms that are crucial for preventing unauthorized software installations.
The technical exploitation occurs through the manipulation of the XPInstall security dialog through JavaScript events and user interaction triggers. When users visit compromised websites, the malicious code can programmatically interact with the security dialog, potentially auto-clicking buttons or manipulating the dialog's behavior to approve extension installations without proper user awareness. This represents a classic case of user interface manipulation that undermines the fundamental security principle of explicit user consent for potentially harmful software installations. The vulnerability specifically targets the browser's extension installation framework, which is designed to prevent unauthorized add-ons from being installed, but fails to properly validate user interactions with the security prompts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows attackers to silently install malicious extensions on victim machines without their knowledge or consent. This creates a persistent threat vector that can remain active even after the initial visit to the malicious website. Once installed, these extensions can perform various malicious activities including keylogging, data exfiltration, browser manipulation, and creating backdoors. The vulnerability essentially transforms the browser's security model from a user-consent based system to one where automated attacks can circumvent these protections, making it particularly dangerous for users who regularly browse the internet and may unknowingly visit compromised sites.
The flaw aligns with CWE-200, which addresses improper output sanitization, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1176 for Browser Extensions and T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of Mozilla Firefox, Thunderbird, and the Mozilla suite, as well as deploying network-based protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious extension installation attempts. Browser security policies should be strengthened to disable automatic extension installations and to enforce strict user interaction requirements before any extension installation can proceed. Regular security audits should verify that no unauthorized extensions exist on affected systems, and user education programs should emphasize the importance of only installing extensions from trusted sources while being aware of potential security warnings during installation processes.