CVE-2007-2046 in Openads
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple CRLF injection vulnerabilities in adclick.php in (a) Openads (phpAdsNew) 2.0.11 and earlier and (b) Openads for PostgreSQL (phpPgAds) 2.0.11 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary HTTP headers and conduct HTTP response splitting attacks via CRLF sequences in (1) the dest parameter and (2) the Referer HTTP header. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/29/2018
The CVE-2007-2046 vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in web applications that utilize the Openads (phpAdsNew) and Openads for PostgreSQL (phpPgAds) platforms. This vulnerability specifically targets the adclick.php script, which serves as a core component for handling advertisement clicks and redirects within these systems. The flaw enables attackers to manipulate HTTP responses through the insertion of carriage return line feed sequences, creating a pathway for sophisticated attack vectors that can compromise the integrity of web communications and user sessions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the adclick.php script. When the application processes the dest parameter or the Referer HTTP header, it fails to properly escape or filter CRLF characters that are commonly represented as %0D%0A in URL encoding. This oversight allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary HTTP headers into the response stream, effectively bypassing normal security mechanisms designed to prevent unauthorized header manipulation. The vulnerability specifically affects versions 2.0.11 and earlier, indicating that this was a known issue that persisted across multiple releases of these advertising platforms.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-2046 extends beyond simple header injection, as it enables full HTTP response splitting attacks that can be leveraged for session hijacking, cache poisoning, and cross-site scripting exploitation. Attackers can craft malicious URLs that, when clicked, inject headers such as Set-Cookie or Location that redirect users to malicious domains or inject malicious content into the browser's cache. This creates a significant risk for both end users and web administrators, as the vulnerability can be exploited without requiring any special privileges or authentication. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that adclick.php is typically used in high-traffic environments where user data and session information are frequently processed.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-113, which specifically addresses "Improper Neutralization of CRLF Sequences in HTTP Headers" and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001, "Phishing via Service Provider" as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to redirect users to malicious sites. The vulnerability also demonstrates characteristics of CWE-74, "Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component," indicating that the flaw originates from inadequate sanitization of user-controllable input before it is used in HTTP response construction. Organizations using affected versions should immediately implement patch management procedures, as the vulnerability was addressed through input validation improvements in subsequent releases. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous HTTP header patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while web application firewalls should be configured to block suspicious CRLF sequences in request parameters and headers.