CVE-2007-1515 in IMP
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Horde IMP H3 4.1.3, and possibly earlier, allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the email Subject header in thread.php, (2) the edit_query parameter in search.php, or other unspecified parameters in search.php. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/08/2025
The CVE-2007-1515 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Horde IMP H3 version 4.1.3 and potentially earlier releases. This vulnerability resides within the web-based email client interface, specifically targeting the thread.php and search.php script files. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious scripts into the application's response, creating a persistent security risk that can compromise user sessions and data integrity. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution vector through web scripting demonstrates the severity of the threat, as attackers can exploit this weakness from any location without requiring physical access to the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits input validation weaknesses in the application's parameter handling mechanisms. In thread.php, the email Subject header parameter is not properly sanitized or escaped before being rendered in the web interface, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers. Similarly, the edit_query parameter in search.php presents an additional attack surface where unfiltered user input can be manipulated to inject malicious content. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications, where improper input validation leads to the execution of unauthorized client-side scripts.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-1515 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable more sophisticated attacks such as session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. When users view infected email threads or perform searches with malicious parameters, their browsers execute the injected scripts, potentially leading to unauthorized access to email accounts, modification of email content, or redirection to malicious websites. The vulnerability's presence in search functionality particularly amplifies its impact, as search operations are frequently performed by users, increasing the attack surface and potential exposure. According to ATT&CK framework category T1190, this vulnerability maps to the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities, where adversaries leverage insecure input handling to compromise user sessions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-1515 must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The primary solution involves implementing proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase, particularly in the affected PHP scripts. Developers should employ context-specific encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding for user-supplied content rendered in web pages, and implement strict parameter validation for all input fields. Additionally, the application should utilize Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit script execution sources and prevent unauthorized code injection. Security patches and updates to the Horde IMP application should be deployed immediately, as this vulnerability represents an outdated version that lacks modern security protections. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious traffic patterns, and conduct regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. The vulnerability's existence in version 4.1.3 specifically highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing proper security patch management procedures to prevent exploitation of known weaknesses.