Origin spoofing via external-protocol redirects
Published Dec 22, 2022 · Updated Apr 16, 2025
Origin spoofing in Firefox before 96, Firefox ESR before 91.5, and Thunderbird before 91.5 allows remote attackers to mislabel launch prompts. A server-side redirect from an HTTP(S) URL to an external scheme makes the dialog use the initiating page's origin instead of the redirecting origin. A link click normally triggers the prompt; prior handler approval or enterprise policy removes that interaction, enabling a malicious site to borrow a trusted origin and induce an external application launch.
Summary
What happened
Origin spoofing in Firefox before 96, Firefox ESR before 91.5, and Thunderbird before 91.5 allows remote attackers to mislabel launch prompts. A server-side redirect from an HTTP(S) URL to an external scheme makes the dialog use the initiating page's origin instead of the redirecting origin. A link click normally triggers the prompt; prior handler approval or enterprise policy removes that interaction, enabling a malicious site to borrow a trusted origin and induce an external application launch.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-22748
- Published
- Dec 22, 2022
- Updated
- Apr 16, 2025
- Vendor
- Mozilla
- Product
- Firefox
- Classifications
- CWE-79, T1036
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 22, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 16, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <96
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Mozilla Bugzilla external-protocol origin-spoof reproduction casesproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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