CVE-2007-1646 in SubHub
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in SubHub 2.3.0 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the searchtext parameter to (a) /search, or the (2) message parameter to (b) /calendar or (c) /subscribe.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-1646 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness in SubHub version 2.3.0, a content management system that was widely used for web publishing and collaboration. This flaw exists in the application's handling of user input parameters, specifically affecting three distinct endpoints that process user-submitted data without proper sanitization or validation. The vulnerability impacts the system's security posture by creating opportunities for malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized actions within the application's interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the SubHub application's codebase. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads and injecting them through the searchtext parameter when accessing the /search endpoint, or through the message parameter when interacting with either the /calendar or /subscribe endpoints. These parameters are directly incorporated into the application's response without appropriate sanitization measures, allowing malicious scripts to be executed when other users view the affected pages. The vulnerability is classified as a classic reflected cross-site scripting issue where user input is immediately reflected back to the browser without proper encoding or validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can be leveraged to compromise user sessions and access sensitive information within the SubHub application. An attacker could craft payloads that steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that attacks can be delivered through phishing emails or social engineering tactics, where users are tricked into clicking malicious links that contain the crafted XSS payloads. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently interact with external links or where the application serves as a collaboration platform with multiple user accounts.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user-provided input parameters before they are processed or displayed in web responses, utilizing proper HTML encoding techniques to prevent script execution. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution contexts and employ regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and static code analysis. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a common weakness in web security practices that can be addressed through proper input validation and output encoding as recommended in the OWASP Top Ten security guidelines. Additionally, this vulnerability could be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering tactics including spearphishing with a malicious link, as attackers would likely exploit this vulnerability through user interaction with malicious payloads.