CVE-2017-8602 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft browsers on Microsoft Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 10 Gold, 1511, 1607, and 1703, and Windows Server 2016 allow a spoofing vulnerability in the way they parse HTTP content, aka "Microsoft Browser Spoofing Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/12/2022
The Microsoft Browser Spoofing Vulnerability CVE-2017-8602 represents a critical security flaw in web browsers across multiple Windows operating systems including Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 10 versions 1511, 1607, and 1703, as well as Windows Server 2016. This vulnerability specifically affects how browsers parse HTTP content, creating opportunities for malicious actors to manipulate user perception through deceptive web content presentation. The flaw stems from improper handling of HTTP headers and content negotiation mechanisms that browsers use to determine how to display web pages. When exploited, this vulnerability allows attackers to present misleading information to users by manipulating the browser's interpretation of web content, potentially causing users to believe they are visiting legitimate websites while actually encountering malicious content. The vulnerability operates at the application layer of the network stack, specifically targeting the HTTP protocol implementation within browser engines, making it particularly dangerous as it can bypass traditional security measures that rely on proper content validation. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-611 Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference, which is categorized under the broader category of information exposure vulnerabilities in the CWE taxonomy, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1056.001 for Input Injection and T1566 for Phishing. The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple deception as it can enable more sophisticated attacks such as credential theft, malware delivery, and session hijacking by making users more susceptible to social engineering attempts. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects a wide range of operating systems and browser versions, creating a broad attack surface that spans multiple years of Microsoft's product lifecycle. The flaw occurs when browsers fail to properly validate or sanitize HTTP content, allowing attackers to craft malicious responses that can cause browsers to display misleading information. This manipulation can occur through various vectors including malicious websites, compromised legitimate sites, or man-in-the-middle attacks where attackers intercept and modify HTTP traffic. The vulnerability's exploitation typically requires the user to interact with the malicious content, making it a social engineering vector that leverages user trust in familiar websites or applications. Organizations using affected systems face significant risk as attackers can use this vulnerability to create convincing phishing sites, deliver malware through deceptive content presentation, or manipulate user behavior through false information displays. The remediation process requires immediate patch deployment across all affected systems, as Microsoft released security updates to address the underlying parsing issues in HTTP content handling. Network administrators should implement additional monitoring for suspicious HTTP content patterns and consider deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious content manipulation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper HTTP header validation and content security policies in preventing similar issues in the future, as it demonstrates how improper content parsing can create security risks that extend beyond traditional network-level protections. Organizations should also consider implementing user education programs to help identify suspicious web content and maintain awareness of social engineering tactics that exploit such browser vulnerabilities.