CVE-2007-1276 in Webmin
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in chooser.cgi in Webmin before 1.330 and Usermin before 1.260 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted filename.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-1276 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Webmin and Usermin web-based management interfaces. This vulnerability specifically targets the chooser.cgi component in versions prior to 1.330 for Webmin and 1.260 for Usermin, creating a significant security risk for administrators who rely on these tools for system management. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the file selection interface, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content through specially crafted filenames.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the chooser.cgi script processes user-supplied filenames without proper sanitization of special characters or script tags. Attackers can exploit this weakness by creating filenames containing malicious payload code that gets executed in the context of other users' browsers when they view the file list. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without adequate validation or encoding. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the user interface level, making it accessible to attackers who may not require elevated privileges to exploit.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information, redirect users to malicious sites, or execute unauthorized commands on behalf of authenticated users. When administrators access the affected Webmin or Usermin interfaces, they become potential victims of these attacks, creating a significant risk for system compromise. The vulnerability affects the authentication and authorization mechanisms of these management tools, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to system resources. This type of attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers scripting through web interfaces, and T1566 which involves social engineering via web-based attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-1276 require immediate patching of affected versions to the latest releases of Webmin and Usermin, as the developers have addressed this vulnerability in subsequent releases. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures including input validation at multiple layers, output encoding for all user-supplied data, and regular security audits of web-based management interfaces. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of these management tools to untrusted networks. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual file upload patterns or attempts to inject malicious content into web interfaces. The remediation process should also include comprehensive staff training on secure coding practices and awareness of social engineering techniques that might be used to exploit such vulnerabilities in the future.