CVE-2007-1188 in WebAPP
Summary
by MITRE
WebAPP before 0.9.9.5 allows remote attackers to submit Search form input that is not checked for (1) composition or (2) length, which has unknown impact, possibly related to "search form hijacking".
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/25/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-1188 affects WebAPP versions prior to 0995, representing a critical security flaw in web application input validation mechanisms. This issue stems from inadequate sanitization of search form inputs, specifically targeting two fundamental aspects of input handling: composition and length validation. The absence of proper input checks creates a significant attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to manipulate the application's search functionality.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's failure to implement comprehensive input validation controls for search form submissions. When users enter data into search fields, the system does not verify whether the input contains malicious content or exceeds predetermined length limits. This lack of validation creates multiple potential attack vectors, including but not limited to cross-site scripting attempts, buffer overflow scenarios, and search form hijacking operations. The vulnerability's classification as potentially related to search form hijacking aligns with CWE-20, which addresses improper input validation in software applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data integrity concerns to encompass potential system compromise and data exposure risks. Attackers exploiting this weakness could manipulate search queries to inject malicious payloads that might redirect users to phishing sites, extract sensitive information through data leakage, or even gain unauthorized access to backend systems. The unknown nature of the full impact suggests that the vulnerability could enable various attack patterns that were not initially anticipated by the developers, making it particularly dangerous in production environments.
The security implications of CVE-2007-1188 align with several ATT&CK framework techniques including T1190 for exploitation of vulnerabilities and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage. Organizations running affected WebAPP versions face significant risk of unauthorized data access and system compromise. The vulnerability represents a classic example of how insufficient input validation can lead to cascading security issues, as the lack of basic sanitization allows attackers to bypass multiple layers of security controls.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation mechanisms that check both input composition and length limits for all search form submissions. Organizations should deploy proper sanitization routines that filter out potentially malicious content and enforce strict length restrictions on search queries. Additionally, regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar validation gaps in other application components. The remediation process must include updating to WebAPP version 0995 or later, which presumably contains the necessary validation controls to address this vulnerability.