CVE-2012-2872 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in an SSL interstitial page in Google Chrome before 21.0.1180.89 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2872 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in Google Chrome versions prior to 21.0.1180.89. This vulnerability specifically targets the SSL interstitial page functionality, which serves as a security warning interface that appears when users encounter certificate errors while navigating to secure websites. The SSL interstitial page acts as a crucial security barrier between users and potentially malicious websites, providing warnings about certificate issues that could indicate man-in-the-middle attacks or other security threats. When users encounter SSL certificate errors, Chrome displays this interstitial page to alert them of potential security risks before allowing them to proceed to the website.
The technical flaw in this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the SSL interstitial page implementation. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious inputs that bypass the security controls designed to prevent script injection. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that the vulnerability could be triggered through various attack surfaces including but not limited to user-supplied data, network responses, or manipulated certificate information. This XSS vulnerability allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code into the interstitial page, effectively compromising the security warning mechanism that users rely on for protection against certificate-related threats. The flaw operates at the application layer and specifically affects the browser's handling of potentially unsafe certificate conditions.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-2872 extends beyond simple script injection, as it fundamentally undermines the trust model that SSL interstitial pages are designed to maintain. When exploited, this vulnerability enables attackers to bypass the security warnings that users expect to see when encountering certificate errors, potentially allowing them to redirect users to malicious websites or inject phishing content that mimics legitimate security warnings. This creates a dangerous scenario where users might be tricked into believing they are viewing a genuine security alert while actually being presented with attacker-controlled content. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it targets the very mechanism that users trust to protect them from SSL-related security threats, making it an ideal vector for sophisticated social engineering attacks. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to initial access through malicious content delivery and credential access through social engineering.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-2872 primarily focus on immediate browser updates to versions 21.0.1180.89 and later, which contain the necessary patches to address the XSS vulnerability in SSL interstitial pages. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all Chrome installations are updated promptly, particularly in enterprise environments where legacy systems may be at risk. Additional protective measures include network-level monitoring for suspicious certificate-related traffic patterns and user education about the importance of not bypassing SSL warnings even when they appear to be legitimate. Security professionals should also consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script injection attempts targeting browser interstitial pages. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date browser software and demonstrates how seemingly minor security flaws in browser components can have significant implications for user safety and trust in security warning systems. Organizations should also review their incident response procedures to ensure they can quickly identify and respond to potential exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in browser security components.