CVE-2018-18334 in Dr. Safety
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the Private Browser of Trend Micro Dr. Safety for Android (Consumer) versions below 3.0.1478 could allow an remote attacker to bypass the Same Origin Policy (SOP) and obtain sensitive information via crafted JavaScript code on vulnerable installations.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/08/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-18334 resides within the Trend Micro Dr. Safety for Android consumer product, specifically affecting versions prior to 3.0.1478. This security flaw manifests in the private browser component of the application, which is designed to provide users with enhanced privacy and security features while browsing the internet. The affected software operates on mobile devices running the Android operating system and is part of a broader suite of security tools developed by Trend Micro to protect consumers from various cyber threats. The private browser functionality is intended to isolate user activities from the standard browser environment, creating a secure zone for sensitive online activities such as banking, shopping, or accessing confidential information. However, this particular vulnerability undermines the fundamental security assumptions that users rely upon when utilizing the private browsing feature.
The technical flaw stems from an insufficient implementation of the Same Origin Policy (SOP) within the browser's security architecture. The Same Origin Policy represents a critical security mechanism in web browsers that restricts how documents or scripts loaded from one origin can interact with resources from another origin. This policy prevents malicious websites from accessing sensitive data from other domains by enforcing strict boundaries between different web contexts. In the case of CVE-2018-18334, the vulnerability allows an attacker to craft specific JavaScript code that can bypass these security restrictions, effectively enabling cross-origin data access. The flaw likely exists in the browser's JavaScript engine or security sandbox implementation where the SOP enforcement mechanisms are either missing, incomplete, or incorrectly configured, allowing malicious code to traverse the normally protected boundaries between different web origins.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it provides remote attackers with the capability to access sensitive information that should normally be protected by the browser's security model. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can potentially extract cookies, local storage data, session information, and other sensitive user data that would typically be isolated from external access. This compromise can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized access to user accounts on various websites. The attack vector requires the victim to visit a malicious website or interact with crafted content within the vulnerable browser environment, making it particularly dangerous in scenarios where users might be tricked into visiting compromised sites or where the malicious code is embedded in legitimate-looking content. The vulnerability affects the core privacy and security assurances that users expect from private browsing modes, potentially exposing sensitive information such as banking details, personal communications, or corporate data that users believe is protected.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-346, which addresses the "Origin Validation Error" and represents a fundamental flaw in how the system validates the origin of requests and data access. This weakness creates an attack surface that can be exploited by threat actors following techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under the T1071.001 sub-technique for Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols. The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper security boundaries and sandboxing in mobile applications, particularly those handling sensitive user data. Organizations and users should recognize that this vulnerability affects not just individual privacy but also the broader trust model that users place in security applications. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks such as man-in-the-middle operations or credential harvesting that could lead to complete account compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-18334 primarily involve upgrading to Trend Micro Dr. Safety version 3.0.1478 or later, which includes the necessary patches to address the Same Origin Policy bypass vulnerability. Users should immediately update their applications to the latest version available through official channels to ensure protection against this threat. Security administrators should also implement monitoring for any suspicious activity related to browser-based attacks and consider deploying additional security measures such as web application firewalls or network-based intrusion detection systems to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations using Trend Micro Dr. Safety in enterprise environments should conduct thorough assessments of their mobile security policies and ensure that all devices are properly updated. The vulnerability highlights the critical need for regular security updates and the importance of maintaining current versions of security software to protect against known vulnerabilities that could be exploited by threat actors in the wild.