CVE-2004-1210 in IPCop
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in proxylog.dat in IPCop 1.4.1 and possibly other versions, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) url or (2) part variables.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-1210 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the IPCop firewall distribution version 1.4.1 and potentially other iterations. This issue resides in the proxylog.dat component which handles proxy logging functionality, making it particularly dangerous as it affects network security infrastructure that administrators rely upon for monitoring and protection. The vulnerability specifically targets two input parameters named url and part, which are processed without adequate sanitization or validation, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers to execute malicious code within the context of users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the IPCop proxy logging system. When the system processes the url and part variables from incoming requests, it fails to properly sanitize these parameters before incorporating them into the generated HTML output. This classic input validation flaw allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the browser context of authenticated users who view the affected proxy logs. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize user input before incorporating it into web output, which directly enables XSS attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can be exploited to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious sites. Attackers can craft specially formatted URLs that, when viewed by administrators or other users who access the proxy logs, will execute scripts that can steal cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or even modify the content displayed in the logs. This creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited repeatedly, as the vulnerability exists in the logging mechanism itself, meaning that any user who accesses the proxy logs could potentially be compromised.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through spearphishing attachments and T1203 for exploitation for privilege escalation. The threat landscape surrounding this vulnerability demonstrates how network security appliances become attractive targets due to their privileged access and the trust placed in them by network administrators. The fact that this vulnerability affects proxy logging functionality means that attackers can potentially compromise not only individual user sessions but also gain access to sensitive network information that flows through the proxy system. Organizations should consider implementing additional monitoring for unusual proxy log access patterns and ensure that all network security appliances are regularly updated with the latest security patches to prevent exploitation of such fundamental flaws.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of affected IPCop installations to version 1.4.2 or later where the XSS issues have been resolved. Network administrators should also implement proper input validation mechanisms and output encoding for all user-supplied data within the proxy logging system. Additionally, implementing content security policies and regular security audits of network infrastructure components can help detect similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation in web applications and the need for comprehensive security testing of network security appliances to prevent attackers from leveraging these critical flaws to compromise entire network environments.