CVE-2018-18499 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

This CVE involves a same-origin policy violation that allows the theft of cross-origin URL entries through the use of a meta http-equiv="refresh" tag on a webpage. The vulnerability affects Firefox, Firefox ESR, and Thunderbird versions prior to specific versions.

Understanding CVE-2018-18499

This CVE highlights a security issue that could lead to potential data theft.

What is CVE-2018-18499?

The vulnerability arises from using a meta http-equiv="refresh" tag on a webpage to redirect to another site, violating the same-origin policy. This violation enables the theft of cross-origin URL entries through performance.getEntries().

The Impact of CVE-2018-18499

The vulnerability could result in potential data theft due to the violation of the same-origin policy.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-18499

This section provides more technical insights into the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows the theft of cross-origin URL entries by exploiting the same-origin policy using meta refresh and performance.getEntries.

Affected Systems and Versions

Firefox versions prior to 62
Firefox ESR versions prior to 60.2
Thunderbird versions prior to 60.2.1

Exploitation Mechanism

The exploitation involves using a meta http-equiv="refresh" tag on a webpage to redirect to another site, enabling the theft of cross-origin URL entries.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from this vulnerability is crucial.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update affected software to versions 62 (or higher) for Firefox, 60.2 (or higher) for Firefox ESR, and 60.2.1 (or higher) for Thunderbird.
Disable meta refresh tags where possible.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software to the latest versions to ensure security patches are applied.
Educate users on safe browsing practices to minimize the risk of exploitation.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by Mozilla for the affected products to mitigate the vulnerability.