CVE-2005-1156 in Netscape
Summary
by MITRE
Firefox before 1.0.3, Mozilla Suite before 1.7.7, and Netscape 7.2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary script and code via a new search plugin using sidebar.addSearchEngine, aka "Firesearching 1."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2021
This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in web browser implementations that enabled remote code execution through malicious search plugins. The issue affected Firefox versions prior to 1.0.3, Mozilla Suite versions before 1.7.7, and Netscape 7.2, demonstrating how search engine functionality could be exploited to bypass security boundaries. The vulnerability specifically leveraged the sidebar.addSearchEngine API method, which was designed to allow users to add search engines to the browser's sidebar interface. However, this functionality contained a security flaw that permitted attackers to craft malicious search plugins that would execute arbitrary code when loaded by the browser. The attack vector involved hosting a specially crafted search plugin on a remote server that would be automatically loaded when users interacted with the browser's search functionality, effectively creating a persistent threat vector that could be triggered without user interaction.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and privilege escalation within the browser's plugin handling system. When the sidebar.addSearchEngine method was invoked with malicious parameters, it failed to properly sanitize or validate the plugin data, allowing attackers to inject executable code that would run in the context of the browser's privileged environment. This represents a classic case of insufficient access control and code injection vulnerability, with the flaw being classified under CWE-94, which addresses "Improper Control of Generation of Code" or "Code Injection." The vulnerability exploited the trust model between the browser and its plugin system, where legitimate search plugin functionality was abused to execute unauthorized code, effectively bypassing the browser's security sandbox protections.
The operational impact of this vulnerability was significant as it provided attackers with a means to execute arbitrary code on affected systems without requiring user interaction or explicit consent. Once a user loaded a malicious search plugin, the attacker could gain complete control over the browser session and potentially the underlying system, depending on the browser's security model. This vulnerability was particularly dangerous because it could be triggered through normal browsing activities, making it difficult for users to detect or prevent. The attack could lead to various malicious outcomes including data theft, system compromise, or redirection to malicious websites. Security researchers noted that the vulnerability was especially concerning because it affected multiple browser implementations, expanding the potential attack surface significantly. The threat model aligned with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which covers "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript', indicating that attackers could leverage JavaScript execution to perform malicious activities within the browser environment.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required immediate patching of affected browser versions, as well as implementing additional security measures to restrict plugin execution. Organizations needed to ensure that all browsers were updated to versions containing the security fixes, with the patch specifically addressing the sidebar.addSearchEngine API validation issues. Users should have been advised to avoid loading unknown or untrusted search plugins, and browser administrators should have implemented stricter plugin management policies. The fix involved enhancing input validation within the browser's plugin handling code to properly sanitize all data passed to the sidebar.addSearchEngine method. Additional mitigations included implementing Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution, disabling unnecessary browser features, and deploying network monitoring tools to detect suspicious plugin loading activities. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of secure plugin architecture and proper input validation in web browser security, leading to improved security practices in subsequent browser implementations and establishing better standards for handling user-provided content in privileged contexts.