CVE-2007-5944 in WebSphere Application Server
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Servlet Engine / Web Container in IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) 5.1.1.4 through 5.1.1.16 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the Expect HTTP header. NOTE: this might be the same issue as CVE-2006-3918, but there are insufficient details to be sure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-5944 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM WebSphere Application Server versions 5.1.1.4 through 5.1.1.16. This issue resides in the servlet engine and web container components that form the core infrastructure for hosting web applications. The vulnerability specifically manifests through improper handling of the Expect HTTP header, which is commonly used for HTTP/1.1 feature negotiation and can be leveraged by malicious actors to execute unauthorized scripts within victim browsers. The flaw enables remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML code directly into the application's response handling mechanism, creating a persistent security risk for all applications hosted on affected WebSphere instances.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the HTTP header processing pipeline of the WebSphere application server. When the server encounters an Expect header in incoming HTTP requests, it fails to properly sanitize or escape the content before incorporating it into the server's response generation process. This improper handling creates a direct injection vector where attacker-controlled data flows through the server's processing chain and gets rendered in the browser context without appropriate security controls. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses that allow attackers to inject client-side scripts into web applications, making this a classic example of context-dependent injection vulnerability where the server acts as an unwitting conduit for malicious code execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-5944 extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, deface web applications, steal sensitive user data, or redirect users to malicious websites. The remote nature of this attack means that adversaries can exploit the vulnerability from any location without requiring physical access or authentication to the target system. Applications running on affected WebSphere versions become vulnerable to persistent XSS attacks that can remain undetected for extended periods, allowing attackers to establish long-term presence within the target environment. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on WebSphere for enterprise web applications, as it undermines the fundamental security assumptions of web application isolation and user data protection. The attack vector through the Expect HTTP header is especially concerning because this header is commonly used in legitimate web traffic, making the vulnerability harder to detect through standard network monitoring and intrusion detection systems.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through official IBM security patches and updates for WebSphere Application Server versions 5.1.1.4 through 5.1.1.16. The mitigation strategy should include implementing proper input validation at multiple layers of the application stack, including HTTP header processing, and deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious Expect header content. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be enhanced to detect anomalous HTTP header usage patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of all applications hosted on affected WebSphere instances to identify potential secondary impacts from the XSS vulnerability. The remediation process should also include comprehensive testing to ensure that patches do not introduce compatibility issues with existing applications, as the WebSphere platform's complex architecture requires careful validation of security updates. Organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as content security policies and strict header validation as defensive measures to reduce the attack surface and provide defense-in-depth against similar vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the 'Command and Control' and 'Persistence' phases, as attackers can use the XSS capability to maintain long-term access to compromised systems and establish command and control channels through the injected scripts.