CVE-2012-3558 in Web Browser
Summary
by MITRE
Opera before 11.65 does not ensure that the address field corresponds to the displayed web page during unusually timed changes to this field, which makes it easier for user-assisted remote attackers to conduct spoofing attacks via vectors involving navigation, reloads, and redirects.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/25/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-3558 represents a critical security flaw in Opera web browsers prior to version 11.65, specifically targeting the browser's address bar validation mechanism. This issue stems from inadequate synchronization between the displayed web page content and the address field that users see, creating a window of opportunity for malicious actors to exploit the temporal gap during page transitions. The flaw enables attackers to manipulate the address bar display while the actual page content is still loading or changing, allowing for deceptive user interfaces that can mislead visitors about the true destination of their navigation. The vulnerability specifically manifests during unusual timing scenarios involving navigation, reloads, and redirects, where the browser's rendering pipeline fails to maintain consistent state between the URL displayed in the address bar and the content actually rendered on screen.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability operates as a race condition or timing attack against the browser's user interface update mechanisms. When users navigate to a new page or encounter redirects, the browser must update both the displayed content and the address bar simultaneously. However, in Opera versions before 11.65, the timing of these updates was not properly synchronized, allowing attackers to manipulate the address bar display while the page content was in transition. This creates a scenario where an attacker can present a fake URL in the address bar while simultaneously loading malicious content from a different domain, effectively bypassing user expectations and security awareness. The vulnerability essentially undermines the fundamental security principle that the address bar should accurately represent the current web page location, enabling attackers to conduct sophisticated phishing and spoofing operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple visual deception to create significant security risks for users who rely on the address bar as a primary indicator of website authenticity. Attackers can exploit this flaw to conduct user-assisted spoofing attacks where victims are tricked into believing they are visiting a legitimate website while actually interacting with malicious content. This type of attack is particularly dangerous because it leverages user trust in the browser's address bar display, which is a critical security feature designed to prevent such deception. The vulnerability affects all navigation scenarios including direct URL entry, hyperlink clicks, form submissions, and automatic redirects, making it a comprehensive weakness that can be exploited across various attack vectors. Users may be misled into entering sensitive information on fake pages, or may unknowingly download malicious content, as the address bar display fails to accurately reflect the true nature of the web page they are visiting.
This vulnerability aligns with several cybersecurity frameworks and threat models, particularly relating to CWE-1247 which addresses improper handling of address bar content during page transitions, and ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering through deceptive web content. The flaw represents a failure in the browser's user interface integrity mechanisms and demonstrates the importance of maintaining consistent state across all user-facing elements during dynamic content updates. Security researchers have classified this as a medium to high severity issue due to its potential for facilitating credential theft, malware distribution, and other malicious activities that rely on user trust in the browser interface. The vulnerability also highlights the broader challenge of maintaining security in complex, multi-threaded applications where timing-sensitive operations must be carefully coordinated to prevent exploitation. Organizations and users should prioritize updating to Opera 11.65 or later versions to mitigate this risk, as the fix addresses the underlying synchronization issues in the browser's rendering and address bar update processes.