CVE-2007-4589 in Web Control Panel
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in InterWorx Hosting Control Panel (InterWorx-CP) Webmaster Level (SiteWorx) 3.0.2 (1) allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the PATH_INFO to index.php; and allow remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the PATH_INFO to (2) siteworx.php, (3) users.php, (4) ftp.php, (5) mysql.php, (6) domains.php, (7) htaccess.php, (8) scriptworx.php, (9) stats.php, (10) backup.php, (11) restore.php, and (12) httpd.php; and unspecified vectors to (13) cron.php and (14) prefs.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/31/2017
The CVE-2007-4589 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting the InterWorx Hosting Control Panel version 3.0.2, specifically targeting the SiteWorx webmaster level interface. This vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental failure in input validation and output sanitization within the web application's handling of PATH_INFO parameters. The flaw exists across multiple entry points within the control panel, indicating a systemic issue in the application's security architecture rather than isolated code defects. The vulnerability affects both unauthenticated and authenticated users, with the latter category presenting a more significant risk as legitimate users can exploit the flaw within their established sessions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the improper handling of PATH_INFO parameters in the web server's request processing. When malicious input is passed through these parameters to various PHP scripts including index.php, siteworx.php, users.php, and numerous other administrative interfaces, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape the input before rendering it in the web response. This allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code or HTML content that executes in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and demonstrates the classic conditions where untrusted data flows into web output without proper sanitization. The attack vectors span across multiple administrative functions, suggesting that the vulnerability originates from a common input handling mechanism rather than individual script flaws.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial, as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. Authenticated users with access to the control panel can be targeted to execute arbitrary code in their browser context, potentially leading to complete compromise of their administrative sessions. The vulnerability affects critical administrative functions such as user management, database access, domain configuration, and backup operations, making it particularly dangerous for system administrators who rely on the control panel for their daily operations. Attackers could exploit this to create malicious accounts, modify website content, access sensitive data, or redirect users to malicious sites, effectively compromising the entire hosting environment.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output sanitization across all affected scripts. The most effective immediate solution involves implementing proper HTML entity encoding for all user-supplied input before rendering it in web responses, which directly addresses the CWE-79 classification. Organizations should also implement strict PATH_INFO validation and sanitization mechanisms, ensuring that all input parameters are properly filtered before processing. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth protection against script injection attacks. Regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar input handling vulnerabilities across the entire application codebase, as this vulnerability demonstrates a systemic architectural issue that may exist in other parts of the application. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and monitoring for suspicious PATH_INFO parameter usage can help detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and maintaining regular security updates for control panel software to prevent such widespread cross-site scripting vulnerabilities.