CVE-2007-4022 in cPanel
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in frontend/x/htaccess/changepro.html in cPanel 10.9.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the resname parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-4022 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the cPanel web interface version 10.9.1. This issue resides in the frontend/x/htaccess/changepro.html component which processes user input without proper sanitization mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically affects the resname parameter, which is used to manage resource names within the htaccess configuration system. When an attacker submits malicious script code through this parameter, the application fails to validate or escape the input before rendering it in the web response, creating an avenue for persistent XSS attacks that can compromise user sessions and execute unauthorized commands.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows the standard XSS attack pattern where malicious input is injected into the application's response and subsequently executed within the victim's browser context. The resname parameter in the htaccess changepro.html file serves as the attack vector because it directly influences the HTML output without adequate input validation or output encoding. This flaw falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities in software applications. The vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to cPanel administrators and users who rely on the web interface for system management. The attack can be executed remotely without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous in shared hosting environments where multiple users share the same infrastructure. An attacker could craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that, when clicked by an authenticated user, would execute in their browser context. This capability enables the exploitation of the victim's privileges, potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive system configurations, file management capabilities, or even complete system compromise depending on the user's permissions level.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-4022 should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the cPanel application. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through proper validation routines that reject or escape potentially dangerous characters before processing. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Organizations should also consider applying the official security patches released by cPanel for version 10.9.1 and upgrading to newer versions that have addressed this vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1059.007 for Scripting and T1566.001 for Phishing, indicating the attack patterns that leverage such weaknesses in web applications. Regular security audits and input validation testing should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the system.