CVE-2007-2381 in framework
Summary
by MITRE
The MochiKit framework exchanges data using JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) without an associated protection scheme, which allows remote attackers to obtain the data via a web page that retrieves the data through a URL in the SRC attribute of a SCRIPT element and captures the data using other JavaScript code, aka "JavaScript Hijacking."
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/22/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-2381 represents a critical security flaw in the MochiKit JavaScript framework that fundamentally compromises data integrity and confidentiality. This issue arises from the framework's improper handling of JSON data exchanges, creating an avenue for remote attackers to exploit the lack of data protection mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the framework transmits sensitive information through JSON format without implementing any form of data sanitization or access control measures, making it susceptible to unauthorized data retrieval through simple web page manipulation techniques.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a well-documented attack pattern involving the strategic use of SCRIPT elements within HTML documents. Attackers can construct malicious web pages that reference legitimate JSON endpoints through the SRC attribute of SCRIPT tags, effectively bypassing traditional security boundaries. Once the browser loads the JSON data through these script elements, the information becomes accessible to any JavaScript code running on the same page, allowing attackers to capture and exfiltrate the data through various client-side scripting techniques. This approach leverages the browser's inherent behavior of executing JavaScript from external sources without additional security validation, creating a direct pathway for data interception.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can lead to comprehensive information disclosure attacks that compromise user privacy and system integrity. When sensitive data such as user credentials, session tokens, or personal information is transmitted through the affected MochiKit framework, attackers can systematically harvest this information from legitimate web applications. The vulnerability affects the core data exchange mechanisms of the framework, potentially exposing all applications that utilize MochiKit for AJAX communications and data retrieval operations. This creates a widespread security risk across multiple applications and systems that depend on the vulnerable framework components.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a classic example of insufficient data protection and inadequate input validation, aligning with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-352 (Cross-Site Request Forgery) categories. The attack vector follows patterns consistent with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) and T1566 (Phishing) through the manipulation of web page content to facilitate data exfiltration. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including the adoption of proper JSONP protection mechanisms, implementation of Content Security Policy headers, and the deployment of additional data validation layers to prevent unauthorized access to JSON data streams.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive data protection measures that address the root cause of the issue. The most effective approach involves configuring proper CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) policies that restrict which domains can access JSON data endpoints, combined with the implementation of JSONP protection schemes that validate data sources before processing. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing additional security headers such as X-Content-Type-Options and Content-Security-Policy to prevent the execution of unauthorized scripts and limit the attack surface. Regular security assessments and code reviews should specifically target data exchange mechanisms to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other frameworks and libraries that may exhibit comparable security weaknesses through the same exploitation patterns.