CAPEC-500: WebView Injection
An adversary, through a previously installed malicious application, injects code into the context of a web page displayed by a WebView component. Through the injected code, an adversary is able to manipulate the DOM tree and cookies of the page, expose sensitive information, and can launch attacks against the web application from within the web page.
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Overview
CAPEC-500 (WebView Injection) is a detailed-level attack pattern catalogued by MITRE in the Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC). It describes a recurring method attackers use to exploit software weaknesses.
How the attack works
The phases an attacker typically follows to carry out this attack.
- Step 1Explore
[Determine target web application] An adversary first needs to determine what web application they wish to target.
- Target web applications that require users to enter sensitive information.
- Target web applications that an adversary wishes to operate on behalf of a logged in user.
- Step 2Experiment
[Create malicious application] An adversary creates an application, often mobile, that incorporates a WebView component to display the targeted web application. This malicious application needs to downloaded by a user, so adversaries will make this application useful in some way.
- Create a 3rd party application that adds useful functionality to the targeted web application. Victims will download the application as a means of using the targeted web application.
- Create a fun game that at some point directs a user to the targeted web application. For example, prompt the user to buy in game currency by directing them to PayPal.