CVE-2012-6467 in Web Browser
Summary
by MITRE
Opera before 12.10 follows Internet shortcuts that are referenced by a (1) IMG element or (2) other inline element, which makes it easier for remote attackers to conduct phishing attacks via a crafted web site, as exploited in the wild in November 2012.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-6467 represents a significant security flaw in Opera web browsers prior to version 12.10 that fundamentally undermines user protection mechanisms. This vulnerability stems from Opera's improper handling of internet shortcuts within HTML documents, specifically when these shortcuts are embedded within inline elements such as IMG tags or other inline HTML components. The flaw allows malicious actors to exploit the browser's behavior to execute phishing attacks with increased effectiveness and stealth.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the browser's interpretation of inline HTML elements that contain internet shortcut references. When Opera encounters such elements, it processes the shortcut information even though it should only consider shortcuts within specific contexts like anchor tags or dedicated shortcut elements. This behavior creates an attack surface where attackers can craft web pages that contain malicious shortcuts within seemingly benign inline elements, effectively bypassing normal security boundaries that would typically prevent such operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is particularly severe as it enables sophisticated phishing attacks that leverage the browser's trust model. Attackers can construct websites that appear legitimate while embedding malicious internet shortcuts within inline elements, potentially redirecting users to fraudulent sites or executing harmful actions without user awareness. The November 2012 exploitation of this vulnerability in the wild demonstrates its practical effectiveness and the real-world threat it posed to users of affected browser versions.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-646, which addresses the issue of relying on weak or untrusted input validation mechanisms, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for the initial access phase of phishing attacks. The flaw represents a failure in the browser's security model to properly validate and sanitize internet shortcut references within different HTML element contexts, creating an unintended execution path that malicious actors can exploit.
The mitigation approach for this vulnerability required users to upgrade to Opera version 12.10 or later, where the browser's handling of internet shortcuts was properly restricted to appropriate contexts. Security professionals should have implemented network-level controls to monitor for suspicious shortcut references and ensured all browser updates were applied promptly. Organizations needed to conduct security awareness training to help users recognize potential phishing attempts that might exploit such vulnerabilities, particularly focusing on the deceptive nature of inline element-based attacks. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of proper HTML element validation and the need for comprehensive security testing of browser components to prevent similar issues in future implementations.