CVE-2005-0143 in Mozilla
Summary
by MITRE
Firefox before 1.0 and Mozilla before 1.7.5 display the SSL lock icon when an insecure page loads a binary file from a trusted site, which could facilitate phishing attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/05/2019
This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in the SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanism of web browsers, specifically affecting mozilla firefox versions prior to 1.0 and mozilla browser versions prior to 1.7.5. The issue stems from improper handling of mixed content scenarios where secure pages attempt to load binary resources from trusted domains, creating a false sense of security for users. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-200, which deals with information exposure, and more specifically relates to CWE-310, cryptographic weakness, as it involves improper SSL certificate handling. This flaw directly impacts the browser's ability to accurately represent the security status of web pages, creating a significant risk for users who rely on visual indicators to assess website trustworthiness.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when a secure HTTPS page loads binary content such as images, scripts, or other resources from a domain that has been previously visited and marked as trusted. The browser incorrectly interprets this mixed content scenario as a secure connection, displaying the SSL lock icon even though portions of the page content are being loaded insecurely. This behavior violates the fundamental principle of secure web browsing where all content loaded from a secure context should maintain the same security level. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it exploits the user's trust in visual security indicators, allowing attackers to create convincing phishing pages that appear secure while actually loading malicious content from insecure sources. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which involves phishing attacks through deceptive website content, and T1071, which covers application layer protocol usage for command and control communications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple user confusion to create real security risks for organizations and individuals. Attackers can leverage this flaw to craft sophisticated phishing campaigns where legitimate-looking websites display the SSL lock icon while simultaneously loading malicious payloads from insecure sources. This creates a false positive security environment where users believe they are interacting with secure sites when they are not. The vulnerability affects web application security models by undermining the integrity of the browser's security model, potentially allowing attackers to bypass security controls that rely on proper SSL certificate validation. Organizations using these vulnerable browsers face increased risk of successful social engineering attacks, credential theft, and data exfiltration. The issue particularly impacts enterprises that rely on browser security for protecting against man-in-the-middle attacks and content injection threats.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate browser updates to versions that properly handle mixed content scenarios and display accurate SSL security indicators. Users should be educated about the importance of verifying security indicators beyond just the presence of SSL locks, particularly when dealing with sensitive transactions or data entry. Security administrators should implement additional monitoring for mixed content scenarios and consider deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block insecure resource loading. Organizations should also establish policies requiring regular browser updates and security assessments. The fix implemented in later versions of these browsers ensures that when a secure page loads content from insecure sources, the security indicators are properly updated to reflect the true security status of the page. This vulnerability highlights the importance of proper security model implementation in web browsers and demonstrates how seemingly minor flaws in certificate handling can create significant security risks. The incident underscores the necessity of thorough security testing for browser security features and the critical need for continuous security updates to address emerging threats.