CVE-2013-3908 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 10 allows user-assisted remote attackers to bypass the Same Origin Policy and obtain sensitive information from any visited document via a crafted web page that is not properly handled during a print-preview action, aka "Internet Explorer Information Disclosure Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-3908 represents a critical information disclosure flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 6 through 10 that fundamentally undermines the browser's security model. This weakness specifically targets the Same Origin Policy implementation, which serves as the cornerstone of web security by preventing unauthorized access to resources across different domains. The vulnerability exploits a design flaw in how Internet Explorer handles print-preview functionality, creating an unexpected pathway for malicious actors to access sensitive information that should remain isolated within the confines of individual web documents.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves a crafted web page that manipulates the browser's print-preview handler to access document objects from different origins. During the print-preview operation, Internet Explorer fails to properly enforce cross-origin restrictions, allowing a malicious page to indirectly access the document object model of previously visited pages. This occurs because the print-preview functionality does not adequately validate or sanitize the cross-origin references that may be present in the document structure. The flaw essentially creates a bypass mechanism that circumvents the browser's intended security boundaries, enabling attackers to extract potentially sensitive information from other domains that the user has visited.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to users who engage with web content regularly, as it requires only user interaction to be exploited through a maliciously crafted web page. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be delivered through standard web browsing activities, making it difficult for users to detect or prevent. The information disclosure can potentially include sensitive data such as user credentials, personal information, financial details, or confidential communications that may have been present in previously visited documents. This type of vulnerability directly impacts the confidentiality aspect of the CIA triad and can lead to cascading security incidents when combined with other exploitation techniques.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses "Information Exposure," and demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and access control mechanisms in web browsers. The flaw also relates to ATT&CK technique T1056.001, which covers "Input Injection: Data Injection," as it involves malicious data being injected into the browser's print-preview handler to achieve unauthorized access. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including browser updates, deployment of security patches, and network-based protections such as content filtering and web application firewalls. Additionally, user education regarding the risks of visiting untrusted websites and the importance of keeping browsers updated remains crucial in defending against this type of information disclosure attack that exploits fundamental security policies within the browser environment.