CVE-2015-6169 in Edge
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Edge misparses HTTP responses, which allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites via unspecified vectors, aka "Microsoft Edge Spoofing Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2022
The Microsoft Edge Spoofing Vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6169 represents a critical security flaw in the web browser's handling of HTTP responses that enables malicious actors to manipulate user navigation through deceptive redirects. This vulnerability specifically targets Microsoft Edge version 13.10586.0 and earlier versions, where the browser's HTTP response parsing mechanism fails to properly validate and process certain response headers. The flaw allows attackers to craft malicious HTTP responses that can deceive the browser into redirecting users to unintended websites, potentially leading to phishing attacks or malware distribution. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper handling of HTTP redirect mechanisms within the browser's rendering engine, creating a window of opportunity for man-in-the-middle attacks and social engineering campaigns. This issue particularly affects users who may be tricked into clicking on seemingly legitimate links that ultimately redirect them to malicious domains.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the misinterpretation of HTTP response headers, particularly those related to redirection such as Location and Refresh headers. When Microsoft Edge processes these headers, it fails to properly sanitize or validate their content, allowing attackers to inject malicious redirect instructions that bypass normal security checks. The flaw operates at the application layer of the OSI model, specifically within the HTTP protocol handling component of the browser. This misparsing behavior creates a trust relationship breakdown between the browser and legitimate web servers, as the browser cannot reliably distinguish between legitimate and malicious redirects. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-20 as "Improper Input Validation" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for "Phishing" through the manipulation of web navigation. The implementation weakness occurs during the HTTP response processing phase where the browser's parser does not adequately verify the integrity and legitimacy of redirect instructions before executing them.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-6169 extends beyond simple navigation manipulation, as it enables sophisticated attack vectors that can compromise user security and privacy. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to redirect users from trusted banking or social media sites to malicious impostor pages that appear identical to legitimate services. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers can initiate attacks without requiring physical access to target systems or local network presence. Users may unknowingly navigate to phishing sites that attempt to capture login credentials, personal information, or financial data. The attack surface is particularly wide as the vulnerability affects any user visiting web pages that contain malicious redirect instructions, regardless of whether the user is authenticated or not. Security researchers have noted that this vulnerability can be combined with other attack techniques to create more sophisticated campaigns, such as pairing it with cross-site scripting or DNS cache poisoning attacks to maximize the attack effectiveness. The potential for large-scale exploitation exists because the vulnerability affects a significant portion of Microsoft Edge users who have not applied the necessary security patches.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-6169 should focus on immediate patch application and network-level protections to prevent exploitation. Microsoft released security updates that addressed the vulnerability by strengthening HTTP response parsing and validation mechanisms within the browser's core components. Organizations should ensure all Microsoft Edge installations are updated to version 13.10586.1000 or later, which contain the necessary security fixes. Network administrators can implement additional protective measures such as web application firewalls that monitor and filter HTTP redirect headers, preventing malicious redirects from reaching end users. Browser security policies should be configured to disable automatic redirects where possible, and users should be educated about recognizing potential spoofing attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and the need for robust HTTP protocol handling in web browsers. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability and implement continuous security monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies and redirect validation mechanisms to provide defense-in-depth against similar vulnerabilities. The fix addresses the root cause by enhancing the browser's HTTP response validation logic and ensuring proper sanitization of redirect instructions before execution.