CVE-2004-1630 in Work Flow Engine
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the login form in Open WorkFlow Engine (OpenWFE) 1.4.x allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary web script or HTML via the url parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2017
The cross-site scripting vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1630 affects the Open WorkFlow Engine version 1.4.x, specifically targeting the login form implementation. This vulnerability represents a classic client-side security flaw that enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the application's response. The vulnerability manifests through the url parameter within the login form, which fails to properly sanitize or validate user input before processing. This oversight creates an exploitable condition where attackers can craft malicious payloads that will execute in the context of other users' browsers when they interact with the vulnerable application.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding. The flaw occurs because the OpenWFE application does not implement proper input sanitization mechanisms for the url parameter, allowing attackers to inject malicious code that gets rendered in the browser without adequate protection. The vulnerability specifically impacts the authentication flow of the workflow engine, potentially enabling attackers to capture user credentials, hijack sessions, or redirect users to malicious websites. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it targets the login form, which represents a critical entry point for legitimate users and therefore offers attackers significant opportunities for unauthorized access.
Operationally, this vulnerability poses substantial risks to organizations utilizing OpenWFE 1.4.x as it could enable attackers to perform session hijacking attacks, steal user authentication tokens, or redirect users to phishing sites that appear legitimate. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can lead to complete compromise of user sessions and potentially allow attackers to escalate privileges within the workflow environment. Given that workflow engines often process sensitive business processes and may contain confidential data, this vulnerability creates opportunities for data theft, unauthorized process manipulation, and broader system compromise. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from any location without requiring physical access to the system or network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-1630 should prioritize immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding measures for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in authentication flows. Organizations should implement proper parameter sanitization techniques that filter or escape special characters before processing user input, ensuring that any potentially malicious content is neutralized before being rendered in the browser. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to a supported version of OpenWFE that addresses this vulnerability through proper input validation mechanisms and secure coding practices. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers and deploying web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection against similar XSS attacks. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive code reviews focusing on input validation practices and establish secure coding guidelines that prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future development cycles, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1212 which addresses exploitation of input validation weaknesses in web applications.