CVE-2018-8358 in Edge
Summary
by MITRE
A security feature bypass vulnerability exists when Microsoft Edge improperly handles redirect requests, aka "Microsoft Edge Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability." This affects Microsoft Edge.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/02/2023
The CVE-2018-8358 vulnerability represents a critical security feature bypass in Microsoft Edge browser that stems from improper handling of redirect requests. This flaw allows attackers to circumvent intended security mechanisms that should protect users from malicious content and unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability specifically impacts the browser's security architecture when processing HTTP redirect responses, creating an avenue for attackers to bypass protective measures that would normally prevent access to potentially harmful resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in how Microsoft Edge processes redirect requests within its security framework. When the browser encounters certain redirect scenarios, it fails to properly validate or enforce security policies that should be applied to the redirected content. This improper handling creates a gap in the browser's security model where malicious actors can craft redirect sequences that bypass the intended protection boundaries. The flaw essentially allows attackers to manipulate the browser's security context during redirect operations, potentially enabling access to restricted resources or execution of malicious code within contexts where such access would normally be prohibited.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to end users and enterprise environments that rely on Microsoft Edge for web browsing activities. Attackers can exploit this weakness to bypass security controls designed to prevent access to phishing sites, malicious downloads, or unauthorized network access. The impact extends beyond simple browsing sessions as the vulnerability could enable more sophisticated attacks including credential theft, data exfiltration, or lateral movement within compromised networks. Organizations using Microsoft Edge as their primary browser face potential exposure to targeted attacks that leverage this bypass mechanism to circumvent security controls implemented at network perimeters or within enterprise security solutions.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues in software systems, and demonstrates how redirect handling can create security gaps in web browsers. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and defense evasion, as attackers can bypass security features that would normally prevent malicious activities. The exploitability of this vulnerability requires attackers to craft specific redirect sequences that trigger the flawed behavior, but once successful, provides access to resources that should remain protected. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of broader browser security assessments and ensure comprehensive patch management strategies that address not only this specific issue but also similar redirect-related security concerns in web browsers.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of Microsoft security updates that address the redirect handling behavior in Microsoft Edge. Organizations should also implement network-level controls that monitor and filter redirect traffic to identify potentially malicious redirect patterns. Browser security configurations should be reviewed to ensure that security policies are properly enforced during redirect operations, and security awareness training should be provided to users to recognize suspicious redirect behavior. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls or proxy solutions that can detect and block suspicious redirect sequences before they reach end-user browsers, creating additional layers of protection against exploitation of this vulnerability.