CVE-2008-1008 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in WebCore, as used in Apple Safari before 3.1, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the document.domain property.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/07/2019
The CVE-2008-1008 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Apple Safari's WebCore rendering engine that existed prior to version 3.1. This vulnerability specifically targets the document.domain property handling mechanism, creating a pathway for remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of legitimate websites. The flaw exploits the browser's insufficient input validation and sanitization of domain-related properties, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML content that gets executed by the victim's browser. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that enables attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious content that manipulates the document.domain property in a way that bypasses normal security boundaries. In Safari versions before 3.1, the WebCore component failed to properly sanitize or validate the domain property assignments, creating an opening for attackers to inject script code that would execute with the privileges of the affected website. The vulnerability leverages the browser's trust model where scripts running on a particular domain can access resources from the same domain, but the flawed implementation allowed attackers to inject malicious code that would persistently execute when users visited compromised pages. This particular weakness is categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, as it enables attackers to execute JavaScript code within the victim's browser context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. Attackers can leverage the persistent nature of XSS vulnerabilities to maintain access to victim sessions, steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even deploy additional malware through the compromised browser environment. The vulnerability affects not only individual users but also enterprise environments where Safari browsers are widely deployed, potentially creating widespread security implications across organizations. When users visit compromised websites or click on malicious links, the injected scripts execute automatically, making this attack vector particularly dangerous due to its passive nature and the difficulty in detecting malicious activity. The vulnerability represents a failure in the browser's security model where the document.domain property should have been properly validated to prevent cross-domain script injection attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-1008 primarily involve upgrading to Apple Safari version 3.1 or later, which includes proper input validation and sanitization of the document.domain property. Organizations should implement comprehensive browser security policies that mandate regular updates and patch management to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities. Additionally, web developers should implement proper output encoding and input validation techniques to prevent XSS attacks at the application level, even when browser-level protections are insufficient. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers and proper HTTPOnly cookie settings can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against similar vulnerabilities. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious script execution patterns and domain manipulation attempts, while user education about phishing and malicious website identification remains crucial for preventing exploitation of such vulnerabilities. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date browser software and implementing layered security approaches that protect against both known and emerging threats in the evolving cybersecurity landscape.