CVE-2005-0905 in Maxthon
Summary
by MITRE
Maxthon 1.2.0 allows remote malicious web sites to obtain potentially sensitive data from the search bar via the m2_search_text property.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/07/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0905 affects Maxthon browser version 1.2.0 and represents a significant security flaw in how the browser handles search bar data. This issue stems from improper handling of the m2_search_text property which allows remote malicious websites to extract potentially sensitive information that users have entered into the browser's search bar. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of information disclosure through improper data handling mechanisms that could expose user credentials, personal search queries, or other confidential information.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the m2_search_text property which is designed to store search bar content within the browser's memory structure. When malicious web pages attempt to access this property through cross-site scripting techniques or other exploitation methods, they can retrieve the text content that users have entered into the search bar. This represents a violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the browser's architecture. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because search bars typically contain sensitive information that users might not expect to be accessible to external websites.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for users who engage in sensitive online activities while using the affected browser version. Attackers could potentially harvest login credentials, personal information, or confidential search queries that users have entered into the browser's search functionality. The attack vector requires remote access through malicious web pages, making it particularly dangerous as users might unknowingly navigate to compromised sites while performing routine browsing activities. This vulnerability directly impacts user privacy and could lead to identity theft, financial fraud, or other malicious activities.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which describes improper output sanitization or insufficient output validation, and represents a clear case of information disclosure through inadequate data handling practices. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1557, which covers "Adversary-in-the-Middle" techniques where attackers can intercept and extract sensitive data from network communications or application memory. The flaw also demonstrates characteristics of T1071, which involves application layer protocol manipulation, as the exploitation occurs through web-based protocols and browser application interfaces. Organizations and users should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader threat landscape that includes credential harvesting and data exfiltration techniques.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate browser updates to versions that address this specific vulnerability, implementation of proper input validation mechanisms, and deployment of web application firewalls that can detect and prevent attempts to access browser-specific properties. Users should also be educated about the risks of visiting untrusted websites and the importance of keeping browser software updated. Security administrators should monitor for exploitation attempts and implement network-based detection measures that can identify malicious activity targeting this specific vulnerability. The fix typically involves proper sanitization of the m2_search_text property and ensuring that external websites cannot access browser memory structures containing user data.