CVE-2008-2716 in Web Browser
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Opera before 9.5 allows remote attackers to spoof the contents of trusted frames on the same parent page by modifying the location, which can facilitate phishing attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2716 represents a significant security flaw in Opera web browsers prior to version 9.5 that undermines the integrity of frame-based web page structures. This issue stems from improper handling of frame navigation and location modification within the browser's rendering engine, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate the visual representation of web content. The vulnerability specifically affects the browser's ability to maintain proper boundaries between trusted and untrusted frame content, allowing attackers to exploit the frame hierarchy to deceive users about the true nature of web pages they are interacting with.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of frame location properties through JavaScript or other client-side scripting mechanisms. When an attacker successfully modifies the location of a trusted frame within a parent page, they can effectively replace the legitimate content with malicious alternatives while maintaining the appearance of a legitimate website. This occurs because the browser fails to properly validate or sanitize the location changes within frame contexts, allowing arbitrary content to be loaded into trusted frame positions. The flaw operates at the browser's frame management level, where the security boundaries between different frame contexts are not properly enforced, creating a window for content spoofing attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple content manipulation to enable sophisticated phishing attacks that can deceive even security-conscious users. Attackers can craft malicious pages that appear to be legitimate websites by replacing trusted frames with phishing content, making it extremely difficult for users to distinguish between genuine and malicious content. This vulnerability particularly affects scenarios where users trust certain sections of a webpage, such as login frames or navigation bars, as these trusted elements become compromised. The attack vector typically involves social engineering combined with technical exploitation, where users are directed to malicious sites that leverage this frame manipulation capability to bypass security warnings and trust indicators.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-601 and CWE-79 categories, representing URL redirection issues and cross-site scripting vulnerabilities respectively, while also mapping to ATT&CK techniques such as T1071.001 for application layer protocol and T1566 for phishing campaigns. The security implications extend to user trust models within web browsers, where the integrity of frame-based web applications is compromised, potentially affecting single sign-on systems, authentication flows, and other security-critical web applications that rely on frame hierarchies. Organizations using Opera browsers before version 9.5 were particularly vulnerable to attacks targeting web applications that depend on frame-based content delivery and trust relationships.
The recommended mitigation strategies include immediate browser upgrades to Opera 9.5 or later versions where this vulnerability has been addressed through improved frame location validation and enhanced security boundaries between frame contexts. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive web application security testing that includes frame manipulation scenarios and consider deploying content security policies that restrict frame navigation and location changes. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense in depth, while user education regarding suspicious web content and phishing indicators remains crucial. Regular security audits should verify that frame-based web applications properly implement security controls to prevent unauthorized content manipulation and maintain the integrity of trusted frame boundaries.