CVE-2007-4073 in Webbler CMS
Summary
by MITRE
Webbler CMS before 3.1.6 does not properly restrict use of "mail a friend" forms, which allows remote attackers to send arbitrary amounts of forged e-mail. NOTE: this could be leveraged for spam or phishing attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/25/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4073 affects Webbler CMS versions prior to 3.1.6 and represents a critical security flaw in the email form functionality that enables unauthorized users to exploit the system's mail a friend feature. This vulnerability falls under the category of improper access control and can be classified as CWE-284, which deals with insufficient access control mechanisms. The flaw specifically targets the lack of proper validation and authorization checks within the CMS's email submission process, allowing malicious actors to bypass normal restrictions that should prevent abuse of the contact form functionality.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of input sanitization and user authentication verification within the mail a friend form processing logic. When users attempt to send emails through the CMS interface, the system fails to validate the origin of the request or verify that the submission is legitimate. Attackers can manipulate the form parameters to send unlimited emails without proper authorization, effectively turning the CMS into an open relay for spam distribution. This issue particularly impacts the security posture of web applications that rely on CMS platforms for content management, as it provides an easy vector for abuse.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple spam generation and can be leveraged for sophisticated phishing campaigns. Security researchers have documented similar vulnerabilities being exploited for large-scale email abuse operations, where attackers use compromised CMS installations to send millions of spam messages. The potential for reputational damage is significant, as email servers may be blacklisted due to the volume of forged messages originating from the vulnerable system. Network administrators and security professionals should recognize this as a potential indicator of compromise when monitoring email traffic and server logs.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-4073 include immediate patching of the Webbler CMS to version 3.1.6 or later, which implements proper input validation and access control measures. Organizations should also implement rate limiting on email form submissions to prevent abuse, deploy email authentication mechanisms such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to protect their domains, and monitor for unusual email sending patterns. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving abuse of web applications and email relay abuse, which can be categorized under T1566 for phishing and T1192 for Spearphishing Attachments. Network defenders should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious form submissions while maintaining audit logs for forensic analysis.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the importance of proper input validation and access control in content management systems. Security teams should conduct regular vulnerability assessments of their CMS installations and ensure that all third-party components are kept up to date with the latest security patches. The incident serves as a reminder that seemingly simple features like email forms can become significant attack vectors when proper security controls are not implemented. Organizations should also consider implementing additional layers of security such as CAPTCHA mechanisms and user session management to prevent automated abuse of web forms. This vulnerability demonstrates how legacy systems often contain hidden security flaws that can be exploited for large-scale malicious activities, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security testing and continuous monitoring of web applications.