CVE-2007-3419 in WebAPP
Summary
by MITRE
The editprofile3 function in cgi-bin/cgi-lib/user.pl in web-app.org WebAPP before 0.9.9.7 does not properly check the (1) themes.dat, (2) languages.dat, (3) profession.dat, (4) gen.dat, (5) marstat.dat, (6) states.dat, and (7) ages.dat files before saving profile settings of members, which has unknown impact and remote attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/24/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-3419 resides within the web-app.org WebAPP software version 0.9.9.6 and earlier, specifically within the editprofile3 function located in the cgi-bin/cgi-lib/user.pl script. This flaw represents a critical security oversight that affects multiple data files including themes.dat, languages.dat, profession.dat, gen.dat, marstat.dat, states.dat, and ages.dat which are all utilized for managing user profile settings within the application. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly verify the integrity and content of these configuration files before allowing profile modifications to be saved. The absence of proper validation creates a dangerous condition where malicious actors can manipulate these data files through the profile editing interface, potentially leading to unauthorized modifications of critical application configuration elements.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and represents a classic case of insecure data handling within web applications. The flaw allows for potential remote code execution or arbitrary file manipulation through the manipulation of these specific data files, as the application does not implement proper access controls or validation checks before processing user profile updates. The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption, as these files control fundamental aspects of the application's user interface and functionality, potentially enabling attackers to modify user permissions, alter application behavior, or even gain deeper system access. The vulnerability operates through the web application's CGI interface, making it accessible via standard web browser interactions without requiring special privileges or local system access.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-3419 is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with potential paths to compromise the entire web application and underlying system. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to manipulate user profiles in ways that might enable privilege escalation, data theft, or service disruption. The vulnerability's remote attack vector means that exploitation can occur from any location with internet access, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that are publicly accessible. The lack of specific impact details in the original CVE description suggests that the vulnerability could potentially enable various attack scenarios including but not limited to session hijacking, data manipulation, or even complete application compromise. Organizations running affected versions of WebAPP would be at significant risk of unauthorized access to user data and potential system infiltration.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the affected software to version 0.9.9.7 or later, which presumably contains the necessary security fixes. System administrators should implement proper input validation and sanitization measures, ensuring that all user-supplied data is thoroughly checked before being processed or saved to any configuration files. The implementation of principle of least privilege should be enforced, limiting write access to these critical data files to only authorized system processes. Network-level protections including firewalls and intrusion detection systems should be configured to monitor for unusual access patterns to the affected CGI scripts. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security audits of their web applications to identify similar input validation vulnerabilities, as this flaw demonstrates a pattern of insufficient security controls in legacy web applications. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the dangers of running outdated software versions that may contain known security flaws. This vulnerability would be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and script injection, and T1078 for valid accounts, as exploitation could potentially lead to account compromise and system access.