CVE-2007-4471 in QuickBooks
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in the Intuit QuickBooks Online Edition ActiveX control before 10 allow remote attackers to create or overwrite arbitrary files via unspecified arguments to the (1) httpGETToFile, (2) httpPOSTFromFile, and possibly other methods, probably involving path traversal vulnerabilities in exposed dangerous methods. NOTE: this can be leveraged for code execution by writing to a Startup folder.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2024
The CVE-2007-4471 vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in the Intuit QuickBooks Online Edition ActiveX control version 10 and earlier. This vulnerability resides within the ActiveX component that enables web-based functionality for the popular accounting software, creating a dangerous attack surface that can be exploited by remote threat actors. The vulnerability specifically affects methods designed for HTTP communication, particularly httpGETToFile and httpPOSTFromFile, which are exposed to external access through web browsers. These methods are inherently dangerous because they provide direct file system interaction capabilities without proper input validation or sanitization mechanisms.
The technical flaw manifests through path traversal vulnerabilities that exist within the exposed methods of the ActiveX control. When attackers supply malicious arguments to these methods, they can manipulate the file paths used for creating or overwriting files on the target system. This path traversal capability allows attackers to bypass normal file system access controls and write files to arbitrary locations, including system directories and user startup folders. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it leverages the inherent trust model of ActiveX controls, where browser environments automatically grant these components elevated privileges without sufficient sandboxing or security boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple file manipulation, as it can be readily exploited to achieve persistent code execution on affected systems. By writing malicious payloads to startup folders such as the Windows Startup directory or equivalent user-specific locations, attackers can establish persistent backdoors that survive system reboots. This persistence mechanism aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 for local privilege escalation and T1547 for boot or logon initialization scripts. The vulnerability essentially transforms a simple file system access issue into a full system compromise vector, making it highly attractive to threat actors seeking long-term access to compromised endpoints. The exposure of these dangerous methods through web interfaces creates an attack surface that can be exploited by any user who visits a malicious website or opens a specially crafted document containing the vulnerable ActiveX control.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-4471 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security posture improvements. The most effective immediate solution is the complete removal or disabling of the vulnerable ActiveX control from affected systems, which should be prioritized in enterprise environments where QuickBooks Online Edition is not actively required. Organizations should also implement browser security policies that restrict ActiveX control loading and enforce strict security zones for web content. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and the principle of least privilege, where exposed methods should never be allowed to operate with elevated system privileges without comprehensive sanitization of user inputs. Additionally, network segmentation and application whitelisting can help prevent exploitation attempts by limiting access to systems that might host the vulnerable component. This vulnerability serves as a classic example of why modern security practices emphasize the elimination of legacy ActiveX controls and the adoption of more secure web technologies that don't rely on browser-based component execution models that inherently trust loaded content with system-level privileges. The issue aligns with CWE-22 path traversal vulnerabilities and represents a fundamental failure in secure coding practices for web-exposed components that should never have been designed to operate with such broad file system access capabilities.