CVE-2007-2871 in Firefox
Summary
by MITRE
Mozilla Firefox 1.5.x before 1.5.0.12 and 2.x before 2.0.0.4, and SeaMonkey 1.0.9 and 1.1.2, allows remote attackers to spoof or hide the browser chrome, such as the location bar, by placing XUL popups outside of the browser s content pane. NOTE: this issue can be leveraged for phishing and other attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2019
This vulnerability affects mozilla firefox versions 1.5.x before 1.5.0.12 and 2.x before 2.0.0.4 along with seamonkey versions 1.0.9 and 1.1.2 and represents a significant security flaw in the browser's user interface rendering mechanism. the issue stems from improper handling of xul (xml user interface language) popup elements that allows malicious actors to manipulate the browser chrome display. when xul popups are positioned outside of the browser content pane, they can potentially obscure or mimic legitimate browser interface elements, creating a deceptive user experience that undermines the browser's security model.
the technical flaw resides in the browser's failure to properly validate and restrict the positioning of xul elements within the browser window boundaries. specifically, the vulnerability enables attackers to place popup windows outside the designated content area, effectively bypassing the normal chrome rendering restrictions that should prevent such overlay behavior. this misconfiguration allows for the creation of deceptive interfaces that can hide or replace critical browser elements like the location bar, address field, and security indicators. the issue falls under the category of user interface deception and can be classified as a variant of cwe-611 information exposure through improper access control.
the operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and directly enables sophisticated phishing attacks and social engineering campaigns. attackers can leverage this flaw to create convincing fake browser interfaces that closely resemble legitimate browser chrome, making it extremely difficult for users to distinguish between genuine browser elements and malicious overlays. the vulnerability specifically targets the browser's security indicators and location bar functionality, which are fundamental to user trust and security awareness. when users encounter a spoofed interface, they may unknowingly enter sensitive information into fake forms or navigate to malicious sites without realizing they are being deceived. this vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the mitre att&ck framework under the initial access and credential access domains, particularly targeting user interaction and social engineering vectors.
the implications extend beyond simple phishing as this vulnerability can be combined with other attack vectors to create more sophisticated multi-stage attacks. threat actors can use the spoofing capability to hide security warnings, manipulate navigation controls, or even present false certificate information that would normally alert users to potential security issues. the vulnerability essentially undermines the browser's fundamental security model by allowing attackers to manipulate the visual representation of the browser interface. organizations and security professionals should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader threat landscape where user interface manipulation plays a critical role in successful social engineering campaigns. proper mitigation requires updating to patched versions of the affected browsers and implementing additional security measures such as browser hardening, user education, and monitoring for suspicious interface behavior that may indicate exploitation attempts.