CVE-2004-1656 in Cart
Summary
by MITRE
CRLF injection vulnerability in Comersus Shopping Cart 5.0991 allows remote attackers to perform HTTP Response Splitting attacks to modify expected HTML content from the server via the redirecturl parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/09/2024
The CVE-2004-1656 vulnerability represents a critical CRLF injection flaw discovered in Comersus Shopping Cart version 5.0991, which enables remote attackers to execute HTTP response splitting attacks. This vulnerability specifically targets the redirecturl parameter within the shopping cart application, allowing malicious actors to inject carriage return and line feed characters into HTTP responses. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-supplied data, creating an avenue for attackers to manipulate the server's response headers and inject malicious content. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and directly impacts the integrity of HTTP communications between the web server and client browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of HTTP response headers through the injection of CRLF sequences, which enables attackers to split a single HTTP response into multiple responses. When the redirecturl parameter is processed without proper sanitization, an attacker can append malicious headers followed by arbitrary HTML content that gets executed in the victim's browser context. This occurs because the application fails to properly encode or validate input before incorporating it into HTTP response headers, creating a condition where attacker-controlled data can influence the response structure. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-113, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of CRLF sequences in HTTP headers, and represents a classic example of HTTP response splitting as defined in the OWASP Top Ten.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-1656 extends beyond simple content modification, as it enables sophisticated attack vectors including session hijacking, cross-site scripting attacks, and cache poisoning. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability can redirect users to malicious websites, inject malicious scripts into the response, or manipulate session cookies to gain unauthorized access to user accounts. The vulnerability particularly affects e-commerce environments where user authentication and transaction data are processed, making it a high-risk issue for online retailers. The attack can be executed remotely without requiring any special privileges or authentication, making it particularly dangerous for web applications handling sensitive user information. This vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers phishing attacks through malicious links and redirects, and T1071.004, which involves application layer protocol manipulation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-1656 require immediate implementation of input validation and sanitization measures throughout the application's processing pipeline. Organizations should implement strict validation of all user-supplied input, particularly parameters used in HTTP response construction, and ensure proper encoding of special characters including carriage return and line feed sequences. The recommended approach includes implementing a whitelist validation mechanism for redirecturl parameters, using secure coding practices that prevent direct insertion of user data into HTTP headers, and deploying proper header sanitization routines. Additionally, implementing proper HTTP response handling with strict header validation and utilizing modern web application firewalls can provide additional protection layers. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in preventing HTTP response splitting attacks and aligns with security best practices outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices and NIST SP 800-160 guidelines for secure software development.