CVE-2007-3255 in Enterprise Document Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in Xythos Enterprise Document Manager (XEDM) before 5.0.25.8, and 6.x before 6.0.46.1, allow remote authenticated users to execute commands as arbitrary users via (1) a saved Workflow name or (2) the Content-Type HTTP header. NOTE: item 2 also affects the same version numbers of Xythos Digital Locker (XDL). One or both vectors might also affect Xythos WebFile Server.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2017
Cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities in Xythos Enterprise Document Manager represent a critical class of web application security flaws that enable authenticated attackers to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of legitimate users. These vulnerabilities affect versions prior to 5.0.25.8 and 6.x prior to 6.0.46.1, creating a significant attack surface that extends beyond the primary product to include Xythos Digital Locker and potentially WebFile Server implementations. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of request origins and lack of proper anti-CSRF token mechanisms within the application's authentication and authorization frameworks.
The technical flaw manifests through two distinct attack vectors that exploit the application's trust relationship with authenticated users. The first vector involves manipulation of saved Workflow names, where attackers can craft malicious requests that leverage existing workflow configurations to execute commands under different user contexts. The second vector targets the Content-Type HTTP header, allowing attackers to manipulate request processing by altering the header values to bypass normal validation checks. Both vectors demonstrate a fundamental weakness in the application's request validation mechanisms, where the system fails to properly verify that requests originate from legitimate sources or contain expected parameter values. This weakness aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities in web applications.
The operational impact of these vulnerabilities is severe as they enable authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands as other users within the system. This privilege escalation capability allows attackers to potentially access sensitive documents, modify content, delete files, or perform administrative functions depending on the victim's permissions. The attack requires only authentication credentials to the system, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by users who have legitimate access but may not have full administrative privileges. The affected systems are vulnerable to both targeted attacks against specific users and broader exploitation campaigns that could compromise multiple accounts within the organization.
Mitigation strategies for these CSRF vulnerabilities should focus on implementing robust anti-CSRF protection mechanisms throughout the application architecture. Organizations should deploy proper CSRF token generation and validation processes that ensure each request contains unique, unpredictable tokens that are validated against the user's session. The implementation should follow established security practices including token binding to user sessions, proper HTTP header validation, and comprehensive input sanitization. Additionally, organizations should implement proper access controls and audit logging to detect unauthorized activities. The remediation process requires updating to the patched versions mentioned in the CVE, specifically versions 5.0.25.8 and 6.0.46.1, while also conducting thorough security assessments of the application's authentication and authorization mechanisms. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems to detect potential exploitation attempts. These vulnerabilities demonstrate the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive security controls throughout the application lifecycle. The ATT&CK framework classification for these vulnerabilities would fall under T1531 for bypassing security controls and T1078 for valid accounts, highlighting the need for layered defensive measures including privileged access management and continuous monitoring of user activities.