CVE-2007-5091 in eGroupWare
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in eGroupWare 1.4.001 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the cat_data[color] parameter to (1) preferences/inc/class.uicategories.inc.php and (2) admin/inc/class.uicategories.inc.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/09/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-5091 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the eGroupWare collaboration platform version 1.4.001. This vulnerability resides in the category management functionality of the application, specifically affecting the cat_data[color] parameter handling within two distinct files: preferences/inc/class.uicategories.inc.php and admin/inc/class.uicategories.inc.php. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers, potentially compromising the entire user session and data integrity. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which defines improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as cross-site scripting. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic input validation failure where user-supplied data is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input containing script tags or other HTML content and submits it through the cat_data[color] parameter. The application fails to validate or escape this input before storing it in the database or rendering it in the user interface. When another user accesses the affected category page, their browser executes the injected script, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks including persistent XSS where the malicious code remains stored and executed whenever the page is accessed.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on eGroupWare for collaboration and document management. The attack surface is broad as the vulnerability affects both user preferences and administrative functions, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to sensitive data. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the platform's category management system, which is fundamental to organizing and structuring user content. Attackers can exploit this to inject malicious content that persists across user sessions, making it particularly dangerous for environments where multiple users interact with shared categories. The vulnerability also violates security principles outlined in the OWASP Top Ten, specifically addressing injection flaws that can lead to unauthorized access and data compromise. The attack vector requires no special privileges and can be executed through standard web browser interactions, making it particularly accessible to threat actors with basic technical skills.
Organizations should immediately implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability. The primary remediation involves implementing proper input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied data, particularly in parameters like cat_data[color]. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which focuses on credential access through phishing and social engineering, as XSS can lead to credential theft. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar input validation issues. Patch management procedures must be prioritized to ensure immediate deployment of vendor security updates. Additionally, user education regarding suspicious web content and regular security awareness training should be implemented to reduce the risk of successful exploitation through social engineering approaches. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in web applications, emphasizing the need for secure coding practices throughout the software development lifecycle.