CVE-2008-7297 in Web Browser
Summary
by MITRE
Opera cannot properly restrict modifications to cookies established in HTTPS sessions, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to overwrite or delete arbitrary cookies via a Set-Cookie header in an HTTP response, related to lack of the HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) includeSubDomains feature, aka a "cookie forcing" issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2018
This vulnerability exists in Opera web browsers where the security mechanisms designed to protect HTTPS sessions fail to properly restrict cookie modifications. The flaw stems from Opera's inadequate implementation of HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) protocol, specifically the missing includeSubDomains directive that should prevent downgrade attacks and cookie manipulation. When users navigate to secure HTTPS sites, Opera fails to enforce proper cookie security policies that would normally prevent unauthorized modifications. Attackers can exploit this weakness by positioning themselves as man-in-the-middle actors who intercept HTTP responses and inject malicious Set-Cookie headers that overwrite or delete existing cookies from secure sessions.
The technical execution of this attack relies on the fundamental principle that HTTP and HTTPS protocols should maintain distinct security boundaries, yet Opera's implementation allows for cross-protocol cookie manipulation. This represents a critical failure in the browser's security model where the integrity of session cookies established during secure HTTPS connections can be compromised through unencrypted HTTP responses. The vulnerability specifically targets the cookie handling mechanisms within the browser's security architecture, creating an attack surface that enables cookie forcing techniques. According to CWE-310, this maps to cryptographic weakness in the secure session management process, while the attack pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 for credential access through man-in-the-middle methods.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple cookie manipulation to potentially enable session hijacking, authentication bypass, and credential theft across multiple web applications. When attackers successfully overwrite cookies, they can assume the identity of legitimate users, access protected resources, and perform unauthorized actions within applications that rely on cookie-based authentication. The missing includeSubDomains feature in HSTS implementation creates a persistent security gap that affects all subdomains of compromised websites, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with complex domain structures. This vulnerability directly undermines the core security promise of HTTPS encryption and can lead to complete account takeovers, data breaches, and unauthorized access to sensitive information.
Organizations and users should immediately implement mitigations including updating to Opera versions that properly support HSTS includeSubDomains, implementing additional network-level protections such as HTTP Public Key Pinning (HPKP), and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious Set-Cookie headers. Browser vendors should ensure comprehensive HSTS implementation including proper includeSubDomains handling, while security teams should monitor for suspicious cookie modification patterns in web application logs. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of proper protocol enforcement and the necessity of robust security mechanisms that prevent cross-protocol security boundary violations. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing additional authentication layers such as multi-factor authentication to reduce the impact of potential cookie-based attacks, while network administrators should deploy monitoring solutions that can detect man-in-the-middle attack patterns and alert on anomalous cookie handling behavior.