CVE-2007-4557 in Groupwise Webaccess
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the webacc servlet in Novell GroupWise 6.5 WebAccess allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the User.Id parameter, as demonstrated by a URL within a url field in a STYLE element, possibly due to an incomplete fix for CVE-2004-2103.2.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2017
The CVE-2007-4557 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in Novell GroupWise 6.5 WebAccess web application, specifically within the webacc servlet component. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code through manipulation of the User.Id parameter, demonstrating a significant security weakness in the application's input validation mechanisms. The flaw specifically manifests when processing URLs within a url field contained in a STYLE element, indicating a sophisticated attack vector that leverages cascading style sheets to deliver malicious payloads. This vulnerability is particularly concerning as it appears to be an incomplete remediation of a previously identified issue, CVE-2004-2103, suggesting that the initial fix was insufficient to address all potential attack vectors within the same application component.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of user input parameters within the webacc servlet, which processes authentication and access requests for the GroupWise WebAccess interface. When the User.Id parameter is submitted through HTTP requests, the application fails to properly validate or escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. The vulnerability becomes exploitable when an attacker crafts a malicious URL that contains script code within the url field of a STYLE element, which bypasses existing security controls designed to prevent such injections. This type of attack exploits the browser's interpretation of CSS style properties where the url() function can be manipulated to execute arbitrary code, making it a sophisticated variant of XSS that requires specific conditions to be met.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-4557 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it enables attackers to potentially hijack user sessions, steal sensitive authentication credentials, or redirect users to malicious websites. Given that GroupWise WebAccess serves as a critical email and collaboration platform, successful exploitation could compromise entire organizational communication channels and provide attackers with access to confidential business information. The vulnerability affects not only individual user accounts but could potentially enable attackers to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to shared resources within the GroupWise environment. This risk is compounded by the fact that the vulnerability exists in a widely deployed enterprise application, making it an attractive target for both opportunistic and targeted attacks.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms, particularly for all parameters processed by the webacc servlet. The remediation process must address the incomplete fix referenced in CVE-2004-2103 by ensuring that all CSS-related input is properly sanitized and that the application performs thorough validation of URL parameters within style elements. Security measures should include implementing proper Content Security Policy headers, enabling HTTPOnly flags on session cookies, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their GroupWise installations to identify other potential vulnerabilities in the same application component or related systems, as this vulnerability may indicate broader security gaps in the application's architecture. This issue aligns with CWE-79 which describes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, and represents a technique that could be categorized under ATT&CK tactic T1190 for exploit public-facing application and T1071.004 for application layer protocol using web protocols, highlighting the need for comprehensive web application security controls and regular vulnerability assessments to prevent exploitation of such critical flaws in enterprise collaboration platforms.