Executive brief
A security flaw in Netscape Navigator 4.5 allows malicious Java applets to bypass standard security restrictions. Normally, these applets are only allowed to communicate with the server they originated from; however, this bug allows them to connect to other systems on a network. This could be used by an attacker to perform unauthorized activities or probe internal network resources through a user's browser.
Technical details
The vulnerability exists in the Java implementation within Netscape Navigator 4.5, where the 'Same-Origin Policy' for network connections is not strictly enforced for Java applets. Under the standard Java security model, an applet should be restricted to making network connections only back to its host of origin. Due to this flaw, a remote attacker can host a malicious applet that, when executed in a victim's browser, initiates unauthorized network connections to third-party hosts. This can be leveraged for cross-site scanning or interacting with internal network services that are otherwise inaccessible to the attacker.
Affected products
- Netscape Netscape Navigator 4.5
Timeline
- 1997-08-01: disclosed