CVE-2020-7371 in Yandex
Summary
by MITRE • 10/21/2020
User Interface (UI) Misrepresentation of Critical Information vulnerability in the address bar of the Yandex Browser allows an attacker to obfuscate the true source of data as presented in the browser. This issue affects the RITS Browser version 3.3.9 and prior versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2020
The CVE-2020-7371 vulnerability represents a critical user interface misrepresentation flaw in the Yandex Browser's address bar implementation that fundamentally undermines user trust and security awareness. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of UI redressing attacks and specifically targets the browser's ability to accurately display origin information to users. The issue manifests when the browser fails to properly distinguish between legitimate and malicious origins, allowing attackers to manipulate the visual presentation of web addresses in a manner that deceives users into believing they are visiting trusted websites while actually interacting with malicious content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation and display logic within the browser's address bar component. When processing web requests, the browser does not adequately verify the authenticity of domain names or properly render them in a way that prevents spoofing attacks. This flaw enables attackers to craft URLs or exploit DNS resolution behaviors that result in misleading address bar presentations. The vulnerability specifically affects RITS Browser version 3.3.9 and earlier releases, indicating that this was a known issue that persisted across multiple versions before being addressed through security updates. The root cause likely involves improper handling of internationalized domain names, punycode encoding, or other domain name normalization processes that should ensure consistent and secure presentation of web origins.
Operationally, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for users who may be tricked into entering sensitive information on malicious websites that appear legitimate due to the address bar deception. Attackers can exploit this flaw to conduct phishing campaigns where the browser address bar displays a trusted domain name while the actual connection is made to a malicious server. The impact extends beyond simple credential theft to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including man-in-the-middle operations, malware delivery, and data exfiltration. Users operating under the false assumption that they are visiting legitimate websites may inadvertently grant permissions, download malicious content, or provide confidential information without realizing they are interacting with compromised systems.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-693, which addresses protection mechanism failures in user interfaces, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with the ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through phishing. The security implications extend to user awareness and trust models that browsers rely upon for security. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including mandatory browser updates to versions that address this vulnerability, along with user education about recognizing suspicious address bar behaviors. Additional protective measures include implementing browser security policies that enforce strict origin validation, deploying network-level monitoring for suspicious domain name resolutions, and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar UI misrepresentation flaws. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining secure user interface implementations and the need for continuous security testing of browser components that directly impact user perception and security decisions.