CVE-2007-4713 in urchin
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in urchin.cgi in Urchin 5.6.00r2 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) dtc, (2) vid, (3) n, (4) dt, (5) ed, and (6) bd parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4713 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness in the Urchin web analytics software version 5.6.00r2. This flaw resides within the urchin.cgi component, which serves as the core processing module for handling web analytics data collection and reporting. The vulnerability manifests through six specific parameters - dtc, vid, n, dt, ed, and bd - all of which are susceptible to malicious input injection attacks. These parameters are typically used for tracking visitor sessions, page views, and various data points within the analytics framework, making them prime targets for exploitation by threat actors seeking to compromise web applications.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which defines cross-site scripting as a code injection attack where malicious scripts are injected into otherwise benign and trusted websites. The flaw occurs because the urchin.cgi script fails to properly sanitize or validate input parameters received from web requests. When these parameters contain malicious HTML or JavaScript code, the application processes them without adequate filtering mechanisms, allowing the injected code to execute within the context of users' browsers who visit pages utilizing the vulnerable Urchin installation. This lack of input validation creates an environment where attackers can manipulate the application's behavior and potentially access sensitive user data or perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption or display issues, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary scripts within user sessions. This capability allows for session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and the potential for more sophisticated attacks such as phishing or malware distribution. The vulnerability affects organizations using Urchin 5.6.00r2 for web analytics, particularly those with high-traffic websites where the analytics data is frequently accessed and processed. Attackers can leverage this weakness to compromise user privacy, manipulate analytics data, or use the compromised system as a staging point for further attacks against the organization's network infrastructure. The broad scope of affected parameters increases the attack surface, as multiple entry points exist for malicious input, making detection and prevention more challenging.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding for all parameters processed by the urchin.cgi script. The recommended approach involves implementing strict parameter validation that filters out or escapes potentially dangerous characters and sequences. Security measures should include deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious input patterns targeting these specific parameters. Additionally, organizations should consider upgrading to newer versions of Urchin or migrating to more modern analytics platforms that have addressed these security concerns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input sanitization and output encoding practices, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1566 for initial access through malicious web content and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter execution. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications and ensure comprehensive protection against similar cross-site scripting threats.