CVE-2007-4981 in Obedit
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the save function in Obedit 3.03 allows user-assisted remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unknown vectors, as demonstrated by a SCRIPT element in an unspecified context when saving a document. NOTE: because the details of the attack are uncertain, it is unclear whether this crosses privilege boundaries.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/08/2018
The CVE-2007-4981 vulnerability represents a cross-site scripting flaw discovered in Obedit 3.03's document saving functionality. This security weakness enables malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code through user-assisted remote attacks. The vulnerability specifically manifests when saving documents containing SCRIPT elements in unspecified contexts, creating a potential entry point for attackers to compromise user sessions and execute malicious payloads. The uncertainty surrounding the precise attack vectors and privilege boundary crossings makes this vulnerability particularly concerning as it could potentially affect different user roles or system components depending on implementation details.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting as a code injection flaw that occurs when untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without proper validation or sanitization. This particular weakness exists within the application's document handling and persistence mechanisms, where user input intended for storage is not adequately filtered or escaped before being rendered back to users. The save function serves as the attack surface where malicious script content can be injected and subsequently executed when other users view or interact with the compromised documents. The vulnerability's designation as user-assisted indicates that the attacker requires some level of user interaction or cooperation to successfully deliver the malicious payload, though the exact nature of this assistance remains unspecified.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-4981 extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling attackers to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, manipulate application data, or redirect users to malicious websites. When users save documents containing malicious scripts, those scripts become persistent elements within the application's data storage, ensuring that every subsequent access or view of the compromised document triggers the malicious code execution. This creates a persistent threat vector that can affect multiple users over time, particularly in collaborative environments where documents are frequently shared and saved. The vulnerability's potential to cross privilege boundaries, though uncertain, suggests it could affect users with varying access levels, making it a significant concern for enterprise environments where document sharing and collaboration are common practices.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Obedit application's save functionality. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-provided content before storage and ensuring proper HTML escaping when rendering stored content back to users. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution and consider adopting secure coding practices that follow OWASP Top Ten guidelines for preventing XSS vulnerabilities. Additionally, regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other application components. The vulnerability's age and the specific context of its exploitation underscore the importance of maintaining up-to-date security measures and ensuring that legacy applications receive appropriate security attention to prevent exploitation by modern attack vectors.