CVE-2007-5673 in webif
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in cgi-bin/webif.exe in ifnet WebIf allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the cmd parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-5673 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the ifnet WebIf web interface component. This vulnerability specifically affects the cgi-bin/webif.exe executable which serves as the web interface for network management functionalities. The flaw exists in how the application processes user input through the cmd parameter, creating an exploitable condition that allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content directly into the web interface. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that enables attackers to execute scripts in the context of other users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the webif.exe component. When the cmd parameter is processed without proper sanitization, the application fails to escape or filter malicious input that could contain script tags or other HTML elements. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious URLs containing script code within the cmd parameter, which gets executed when the page is rendered in a victim's browser. This creates a persistent threat vector that can be used to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with a means to establish persistent access to network management interfaces. Since web interfaces often contain administrative functions and sensitive configuration data, successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects the availability and integrity of network services, as attackers can manipulate the web interface to disable security features or modify network configurations. From an attacker perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically targeting web-based command execution through script injection.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-5673 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user-supplied input, particularly parameters like cmd, through proper encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding before rendering any content. Organizations should also implement proper parameter validation to reject or filter out potentially malicious input patterns including script tags, javascript protocols, and other suspicious constructs. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced by restricting access to the web interface to authorized personnel only, while implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious requests. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other web components, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation in preventing widespread exploitation across network management systems.