CVE-2012-2647 in Toolbar
Summary
by MITRE
Yahoo! Toolbar 1.0.0.5 and earlier for Chrome and Safari allows remote attackers to modify the configured search URL, and intercept search terms, via a crafted web page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/29/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2647 represents a significant security flaw in Yahoo! Toolbar versions 1.0.0.5 and earlier that operates within Chrome and Safari web browsers. This issue stems from improper input validation and insufficient security controls within the toolbar's implementation, creating an attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to manipulate browser search functionality. The vulnerability specifically targets the toolbar's handling of search URL configurations, allowing unauthorized modification of user search preferences and interception of sensitive search terms.
The technical flaw manifests through a crafted web page that leverages the toolbar's insufficient validation mechanisms to alter the configured search URL. This occurs when the toolbar fails to properly sanitize or validate user input during the search URL modification process, enabling attackers to inject malicious URLs that redirect users to unauthorized search endpoints. The vulnerability operates at the browser extension level, where the toolbar's JavaScript and DOM manipulation capabilities are improperly constrained, allowing for cross-site scripting attacks that can modify browser behavior without user consent. This flaw aligns with CWE-79, which describes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, and demonstrates how browser extensions can become attack vectors when proper input sanitization is absent.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple search redirection, creating a comprehensive surveillance and data interception capability for attackers. When successful, the exploit allows threat actors to capture all search terms entered by users, potentially exposing sensitive personal information, corporate data, or confidential communications. The interception of search terms represents a significant privacy violation and could enable targeted advertising exploitation, credential harvesting, or more sophisticated social engineering attacks. Additionally, the modification of search URLs could redirect users to malicious sites, creating potential for phishing campaigns or malware distribution through seemingly legitimate search results.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation in browser extensions and the potential for seemingly benign toolbar functionality to become sophisticated attack vectors. The flaw highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of browser extensions, particularly those with elevated privileges and access to user data. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including mandatory toolbar updates, browser extension whitelisting policies, and network monitoring to detect suspicious search URL modifications. The vulnerability also underscores the ATT&CK framework's relevance in understanding how browser extensions can be leveraged for persistent surveillance and data collection operations, emphasizing the need for layered security approaches that address both endpoint and network-based detection mechanisms.