CVE-2007-2206 in Ripe Website Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in contact/index.php in Ripe Website Manager 0.8.4 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a leading "<"<" in the ripeformpost parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2017
The CVE-2007-2206 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw in the Ripe Website Manager content management system version 0.8.4 and earlier. This vulnerability exists within the contact/index.php script where user input is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered back to the browser. The specific vector involves a leading "<"<" sequence in the ripeformpost parameter, which demonstrates how improperly escaped HTML characters can create injection opportunities for malicious web scripts. The vulnerability classifies under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize user input, specifically in the context of web application output encoding. This issue enables attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or data manipulation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing the specified character sequence and submits it through the ripeformpost parameter. The application fails to properly escape or filter this input before displaying it in the web page context, allowing the injected HTML or JavaScript to execute in the victim's browser. This represents a client-side attack vector that leverages the trust relationship between the web application and its users. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices and inadequate output encoding mechanisms, which are fundamental security controls recommended by the OWASP Top Ten project and the ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 technique for command and scripting interpreter.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session management attacks, steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even modify the application's behavior. When combined with other vulnerabilities or social engineering techniques, this XSS flaw can lead to complete compromise of user sessions and potentially the entire web application. Organizations using Ripe Website Manager versions prior to the fix are at risk of having their user base exposed to persistent XSS attacks that can persist as long as the vulnerable application remains operational. The vulnerability affects the application's integrity and confidentiality, as it allows unauthorized code execution within legitimate user sessions, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users have administrative privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-2206 should focus on immediate input sanitization and output encoding practices. The most effective remediation involves implementing proper HTML entity encoding for all user-supplied input before rendering it in web pages, which directly addresses the CWE-79 root cause. Organizations should upgrade to Ripe Website Manager version 0.8.5 or later, which contains the necessary patches to prevent the injection of malicious content. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers, using proper input validation libraries, and conducting regular security testing can help prevent similar vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework recommends defensive measures including input validation, output encoding, and regular security assessments to address such client-side vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious parameter values to detect potential exploitation attempts.