CVE-2007-5613 in Jetty
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Dump Servlet in Mortbay Jetty before 6.1.6rc1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified parameters and cookies.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2024
The CVE-2007-5613 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Dump Servlet component of Mortbay Jetty web server software versions prior to 6.1.6rc1. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into web page content. The issue manifests in the Dump Servlet's handling of unspecified parameters and cookies, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected web applications.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when user-supplied data flows through the Dump Servlet without proper input validation or output encoding mechanisms. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that include script tags or other HTML elements within the vulnerable parameters or cookie values. When the servlet processes these inputs and renders them in the web response without sanitization, the injected code executes in the victim's browser context. This behavior enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of web pages, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the core servlet functionality that typically handles request data processing and response generation.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-5613 extends beyond simple script injection, as it represents a fundamental security weakness that undermines the integrity of web applications using affected Jetty versions. Organizations relying on these older servlet implementations face significant risks including unauthorized access to sensitive user data, potential compromise of user sessions, and damage to application reputation. The vulnerability's presence in a widely-used web server component means that numerous applications could be affected, creating a substantial attack surface. According to ATT&CK framework category T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application, this vulnerability represents a common entry point for attackers targeting web applications, as it requires minimal technical expertise to exploit and can provide persistent access to target systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability center on immediate software updates to versions 6.1.6rc1 and later, which contain the necessary patches to address the input sanitization deficiencies in the Dump Servlet. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout their web applications, particularly when handling user-provided data from cookies, URL parameters, and form inputs. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection layers against script execution, while regular security assessments and code reviews should verify that similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other application components. Security teams should also establish monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain up-to-date vulnerability management processes to prevent similar issues from arising in other web server components or application frameworks.