CVE-2018-12448 in Whale Browser
Summary
by MITRE
Whale Browser before 1.3.48.4 displays no URL information but only a title of a web page on the browser's address bar when visiting a non-http page, which allows an attacker to display a malicious web page with a fake domain name.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/12/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-12448 affects Whale Browser versions prior to 1.3.48.4 and represents a significant user interface deception flaw that undermines browser security. This issue manifests when users navigate to non-http web pages such as those using protocols like ftp, file, or other non-standard schemes. The browser fails to properly display the full URL in the address bar, instead showing only the page title while concealing the actual domain or protocol information. This behavior creates a dangerous security gap that directly enables phishing attacks and social engineering campaigns by allowing malicious actors to craft deceptive web pages that appear legitimate to users.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper URL parsing and display logic within the browser's address bar implementation. When processing non-http URLs, the browser's rendering engine fails to normalize or properly format the address information for display purposes. This flaw falls under the category of information disclosure and user interface deception, where the browser's security indicators are manipulated to mislead users about the true origin of web content. The vulnerability specifically impacts the browser's trust model by obscuring the actual source of web content, making it difficult for users to verify the legitimacy of websites they are visiting.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for end users who may be tricked into believing they are visiting legitimate websites when they are actually accessing malicious content. Attackers can exploit this flaw by creating web pages with innocuous titles that mask malicious domains or by using the browser's display behavior to make phishing pages appear more credible. The impact extends beyond simple deception as users may unknowingly enter sensitive information or download malware while believing they are interacting with trusted websites. This vulnerability particularly affects users who may not be security-aware and rely heavily on visual cues from the browser interface to determine website legitimacy.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with several ATT&CK framework techniques including T1566 for phishing attacks and T1071 for application layer protocol usage. It also corresponds to CWE-200, Information Exposure, and CWE-601, URL Redirection to Untrusted Site, as the flaw enables malicious redirection and information exposure through the address bar interface. Organizations using Whale Browser should implement immediate mitigations including updating to version 1.3.48.4 or later, educating users about the risks of non-http page navigation, and implementing additional security layers such as browser extensions that verify URL information. Network-level protections can also help by monitoring for suspicious URL patterns and implementing strict content filtering policies to prevent access to potentially malicious non-http resources.