CVE-2022-46705 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE • 02/27/2023
A spoofing issue existed in the handling of URLs. This issue was addressed with improved input validation. This issue is fixed in iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2, macOS Ventura 13.1, Safari 16.2. Visiting a malicious website may lead to address bar spoofing.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/28/2023
This vulnerability represents a critical spoofing flaw in web browser URL handling mechanisms that could deceive users into believing they are visiting legitimate websites when actually accessing malicious alternatives. The issue stems from inadequate input validation processes that fail to properly sanitize or verify URL components before rendering them in the browser interface. According to industry standards, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-1004 which addresses insecure default conditions in web applications, and specifically relates to CWE-601 which covers URL redirect vulnerabilities. The flaw creates an attack surface where malicious actors can manipulate URL display elements to mimic trusted domains, effectively enabling phishing attacks that bypass traditional security measures.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the browser's rendering pipeline where URL components are processed and displayed in the address bar without sufficient validation checks. When users navigate to compromised websites, the browser fails to properly validate the authenticity of URL segments, allowing attackers to inject misleading elements that appear legitimate to end users. This issue particularly affects the visual representation of web addresses in browser interfaces, where the address bar spoofing technique can make malicious sites appear as if they belong to trusted organizations. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the browser's input sanitization protocols and represents a significant gap in user interface security controls that should prevent such deceptive practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple phishing attacks to potentially enable more sophisticated social engineering campaigns that can compromise user credentials, personal information, and financial data. Attackers can leverage this flaw to create highly convincing fake login pages or fraudulent e-commerce sites that appear legitimate to users who rely on address bar verification for security assessment. The vulnerability affects multiple platforms including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Safari browsers, indicating a widespread implementation issue that requires coordinated patching across affected ecosystems. Organizations and individuals face increased risk of successful credential theft and data breaches when users unknowingly interact with spoofed websites that exploit this validation weakness.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate deployment of security patches released by Apple and other affected vendors, with particular attention to ensuring all browser versions are updated to the latest secure releases. System administrators should implement additional network-level controls such as URL filtering and content inspection tools to detect and block suspicious domain patterns. Users must be educated about the importance of verifying website certificates and URLs even when the address bar appears trustworthy, as visual verification alone may no longer be sufficient protection. Organizations should also consider implementing browser hardening configurations that enforce stricter URL validation policies and disable potentially dangerous URL handling behaviors. The fix implemented in iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS Ventura 13.1, and Safari 16.2 addresses the core validation issue by strengthening input sanitization processes and improving the browser's ability to distinguish between legitimate and malicious URL components. This remediation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which covers credential access through spoofing and deception, ensuring that the attack surface for such techniques is significantly reduced through improved input validation mechanisms.