CVE-2007-3256 in Enterprise Document Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Xythos Enterprise Document Manager (XEDM), Digital Locker (XDL), and possibly WebFile Server before 6.0.46.1 allow remote authenticated users to associate arbitrary Content-Type HTTP headers with documents, which might facilitate malware distribution.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/25/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-3256 affects Xythos Enterprise Document Manager XEDM, Digital Locker XDL, and potentially WebFile Server versions prior to 6.0.46.1. This issue represents a significant security flaw that allows authenticated remote attackers to manipulate HTTP Content-Type headers associated with documents stored within these systems. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the document management frameworks, enabling malicious actors to craft deceptive content type declarations that could mislead both users and security systems. The flaw specifically resides in the way these applications handle HTTP headers during document retrieval and transmission processes, creating opportunities for attackers to exploit the system's trust in header information.
From a technical perspective, the vulnerability manifests as an improper input validation issue that falls under CWE-20, which encompasses improper input validation. Attackers can leverage this weakness by authenticating to the system and then manipulating the Content-Type HTTP headers that are sent along with document requests. This manipulation allows them to associate malicious content types with legitimate documents, potentially causing web browsers and security appliances to incorrectly interpret the document content. The attack vector requires remote access with valid credentials, making it a privilege escalation vulnerability that can be exploited by both internal and external authenticated threat actors. The flaw essentially creates a path for content-based deception where the system's response headers do not accurately reflect the actual document content, enabling sophisticated social engineering and malware delivery attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple content misrepresentation, creating substantial risks for organizations relying on these document management systems. Malware distribution becomes significantly easier when attackers can manipulate Content-Type headers to bypass security controls that rely on header information for threat detection. Security appliances such as web application firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and content filtering solutions may be deceived into treating malicious content as benign based on the manipulated headers. This vulnerability particularly impacts organizations with extensive document sharing practices, as it enables attackers to craft documents that appear safe but contain malicious payloads. The risk is amplified in environments where document management systems serve as primary repositories for sensitive corporate information, as the attack could facilitate data exfiltration or system compromise through malicious document delivery.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-3256 should focus on immediate patching of affected systems to version 6.0.46.1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for header validation. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to these document management systems and enforce strict access controls, ensuring that only authorized personnel can interact with the vulnerable components. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous Content-Type header usage patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls with custom rules to validate header integrity and prevent header manipulation. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce compatibility issues with existing document management workflows. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other document management systems and ensure that header validation mechanisms are robust against manipulation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper header validation in web applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security controls that address both authentication and content validation mechanisms.