Browser Security Model

Attacks against web authentication, known as rebinding attacks and dynamic pharming, are described. It works by hijacking DNS and infecting the victim's browser with malicious JavaScript or other active con-tent, which then exploits the name-based same-origin policy to hijack a legitimate session after authentication has taken place. As a result, the attack works regardless of the authentication scheme used. Dynamic pharming enables the adversary to eavesdrop on sensitive content, forge transactions, key log secondary passwords, etc. To counter dynamic pharming attacks, several long-standing and recent proposals are identified and discussed.