CVE-2007-4229 in Konqueror
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in KDE Konqueror 3.5.7 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (failed assertion and application crash) via certain malformed HTML, as demonstrated by a document containing TEXTAREA, BUTTON, BR, BDO, PRE, FRAMESET, and A tags. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4229 represents a critical denial of service flaw within KDE Konqueror web browser version 3.5.7 and earlier releases. This issue manifests when the browser encounters specifically crafted malformed HTML content that triggers internal assertion failures, ultimately leading to application crashes. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic buffer overflow or memory corruption pattern that affects the browser's HTML parsing engine, which is responsible for processing and rendering web content. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires no special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage, making it a significant threat to user experience and system stability.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within Konqueror's HTML parser component. When processing HTML documents containing specific tag combinations including TEXTAREA, BUTTON, BR, BDO, PRE, FRAMESET, and A tags, the browser fails to properly handle malformed or unexpected structures in the document object model. This parsing failure results in assertion violations that cause the application to terminate abruptly, creating a denial of service condition for the end user. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and represents a failure in proper error handling and input sanitization mechanisms, which are fundamental requirements for secure software development practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it affects user productivity and system reliability within the KDE desktop environment. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause Konqueror to crash repeatedly, forcing users to restart the browser and potentially lose unsaved work or session data. This type of denial of service attack is particularly damaging in enterprise environments where users rely on consistent browser functionality for their daily operations. The vulnerability affects all versions of Konqueror prior to 3.5.8, indicating a prolonged period during which users were exposed to this risk without adequate protection mechanisms.
Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in relation to CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input boundaries, and CWE-248, which covers the exposure of an exception to an application. The attack pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which focuses on service stoppage through denial of service attacks. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Konqueror version 3.5.8 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the parsing flaws. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing web filtering solutions to block access to known malicious content and establish monitoring protocols to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of regular software updates and proper input validation in preventing remote exploitation of browser-based applications.