CVE-2005-2274 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 does not clearly associate a Javascript dialog box with the web page that generated it, which allows remote attackers to spoof a dialog box from a trusted site and facilitates phishing attacks, aka the "Dialog Origin Spoofing Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/05/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-2274 represents a critical security flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 that fundamentally undermines user trust in web-based dialog notifications. This issue stems from the browser's improper handling of JavaScript dialog boxes, specifically the failure to maintain clear associations between these dialog elements and their originating web pages. The technical root cause lies in the browser's user interface implementation where dialog boxes lack proper origin identification mechanisms, allowing malicious actors to exploit this weakness through crafted web content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple user inconvenience, creating significant opportunities for sophisticated phishing attacks that can deceive even experienced users. Attackers can manipulate the browser to display dialog boxes that appear to originate from legitimate, trusted websites while actually being generated by malicious third parties. This spoofing capability directly enables man-in-the-middle attacks where users might unknowingly provide sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal identification details. The vulnerability operates at the user interface level rather than the network protocol level, making it particularly dangerous because it exploits the trust users place in their browser's visual indicators.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with several key concepts in the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, specifically CWE-611 which addresses improper access control in web applications, and CWE-200 which covers information exposure through improper error handling. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1566 for credential access through social engineering techniques, specifically targeting the user's trust in visual security indicators. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical sophistication from attackers while providing substantial rewards in terms of user credential compromise and data theft.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on browser updates and user education, though the specific nature of the flaw makes it particularly challenging to address without complete browser replacement. Microsoft's official response included security patches that modified the dialog box handling mechanisms to properly associate dialog origins with their source pages. Organizations should implement comprehensive browser security policies that enforce regular updates, deploy security tooling that monitors for suspicious dialog behavior, and educate users about the importance of verifying website authenticity before entering sensitive information. Additional protective measures include implementing browser security extensions, configuring content filtering systems, and establishing incident response procedures specifically designed to handle phishing attempts that exploit this class of vulnerability. The vulnerability serves as a critical reminder of the importance of proper user interface security design and the potential consequences when browser security mechanisms fail to properly authenticate visual elements that users rely upon for trust determination.