CVE-2007-2745 in vDesk
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in printcal.pl in vDesk Webmail 4.03 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the type parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2745 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the vDesk Webmail 4.03 application's printcal.pl component. This weakness resides in how the application processes the type parameter, failing to adequately sanitize user input before incorporating it into web responses. The flaw enables malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers, potentially compromising the confidentiality and integrity of webmail communications. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the web interface's handling of calendar printing functionality, making it particularly dangerous for users who regularly interact with calendar data through the webmail system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and output encoding practices within the printcal.pl script. When the type parameter is passed to the script without proper sanitization, the application directly incorporates this unvalidated input into dynamically generated HTML content. This creates an environment where attackers can inject malicious scripts that execute in the victim's browser context, leveraging the trusted relationship between the user and the webmail application. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize or escape special characters, specifically manifesting as a reflected cross-site scripting attack vector where the malicious input is reflected back to the user through the application's response.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. An attacker could craft malicious calendar entries or print requests that, when viewed by unsuspecting users, would execute scripts designed to steal session cookies or redirect users to phishing sites. The attack requires minimal sophistication and can be executed remotely without authentication, making it particularly dangerous for organizations relying on webmail systems for business communications. This vulnerability essentially allows attackers to establish a persistent foothold within the webmail environment, potentially enabling further reconnaissance and privilege escalation attacks against the broader network infrastructure.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding measures to prevent the injection of malicious content. The most effective remediation involves sanitizing all user-supplied input, particularly parameters like type, through proper escaping mechanisms before incorporating them into web responses. Implementing a Content Security Policy (CSP) can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to limit script execution capabilities within the webmail environment. Security teams should also consider deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious requests targeting this specific vulnerability. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses across the application stack, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1566 for credential access through malicious web content and T1213 for data access through webmail systems. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing secure coding practices and proper input validation as fundamental defenses against web-based attacks.