Apple Safari HTTPS HEIST information disclosure

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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4.4$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability described as problematic has been identified in Apple Safari. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the component HTTPS Handler. Such manipulation leads to information disclosure (HEIST). This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2016-7152. No exploit exists. This vulnerability is historically impactful due to its background and the reception it garnered. It is suggested to apply the recommended workaround.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Apple Safari (Web Browser) (unknown version) and classified as problematic. Affected by this issue is an unknown code block of the component HTTPS Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a information disclosure vulnerability (HEIST). Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-200. The product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information. Impacted is confidentiality. CVE summarizes:

The HTTPS protocol does not consider the role of the TCP congestion window in providing information about content length, which makes it easier for remote attackers to obtain cleartext data by leveraging a web-browser configuration in which third-party cookies are sent, aka a "HEIST" attack.

The weakness was disclosed 08/03/2016 by Mathy Vanhoef and Tom Van Goethem with iMinds-DistriNet as HEIST: HTTP Encrypted Information can be Stolen through TCP-windows as confirmed paper (Blackhat). The advisory is shared for download at blackhat.com. The public release happened without coordination with the vendor. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2016-7152 since 09/06/2016. The exploitation is known to be difficult. The attack may be launched remotely. No form of authentication is required for exploitation. There are neither technical details nor an exploit publicly available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $0-$5k (estimation calculated on 09/08/2025). The MITRE ATT&CK project declares the attack technique as T1592. This vulnerability has a historic impact due to its background and reception.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 261330 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2016-7152), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

The best possible mitigation is suggested to be Workaround.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (261330) and SecurityFocus (BID 92769†). arstechnica.com is providing further details. The entries VDB-91293, VDB-91294, VDB-91295 and VDB-91296 are pretty similar. Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 4.5
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 4.4

VulDB Base Score: 3.7
VulDB Temp Score: 3.6
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.3
NVD Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Name: HEIST
Class: Information disclosure / HEIST
CWE: CWE-200 / CWE-284 / CWE-266
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 261330
Nessus Name: Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2016-7152

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Workaround
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Timelineinfo

08/03/2016 🔍
09/06/2016 +34 days 🔍
09/06/2016 +0 days 🔍
09/06/2016 +0 days 🔍
09/07/2016 +1 days 🔍
09/08/2025 +3288 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: apple.com

Advisory: HEIST: HTTP Encrypted Information can be Stolen through TCP-windows
Researcher: Mathy Vanhoef, Tom Van Goethem
Organization: iMinds-DistriNet
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2016-7152 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2016-7152
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-91292
SecurityFocus: 92769 - HTTPS CVE-2016-7152 Information Disclosure Vulnerability
SecurityTracker: 1036741

Misc.: 🔍
See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 09/07/2016 11:07
Updated: 09/08/2025 19:08
Changes: 09/07/2016 11:07 (50), 04/10/2019 22:04 (12), 09/15/2022 06:35 (3), 09/15/2022 06:44 (11), 09/08/2025 19:08 (16)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

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