CVE-2008-0179 in Enterprise Portal
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in service/impl/UserLocalServiceImpl.java in Liferay Portal 4.3.6 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the User-Agent HTTP header, which is used when composing Forgot Password e-mail messages in HTML format.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0179 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Liferay Portal version 4.3.6 that stems from inadequate input validation in the UserLocalServiceImpl component. This security weakness specifically targets the User-Agent HTTP header processing mechanism, which is subsequently utilized when generating Forgot Password email notifications in HTML format. The flaw creates an exploitable entry point where malicious actors can inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content through the User-Agent field, bypassing normal security controls that typically protect against such attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the service/impl/UserLocalServiceImpl.java file where the User-Agent header value is directly incorporated into HTML email templates without proper sanitization or encoding. When users attempt to reset their passwords through the Forgot Password functionality, the system retrieves the User-Agent information from the HTTP request and embeds it within the generated HTML email message. This design flaw allows attackers to craft malicious User-Agent strings containing script tags or other HTML constructs that execute in the context of legitimate users who receive these emails. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to phishing sites. When legitimate users receive password reset emails containing malicious User-Agent injected scripts, the embedded code executes in their browser context, potentially compromising their sessions and sensitive information. This attack vector is particularly dangerous because it leverages the trust relationship between the email system and the recipient, as users expect to receive legitimate password reset notifications. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which covers phishing attacks through email, where the malicious payload is embedded within legitimate-looking communication channels.
Organizations utilizing Liferay Portal 4.3.6 should implement immediate mitigations including input sanitization of User-Agent headers, HTML encoding of all dynamic content in email templates, and implementation of Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution. The recommended approach involves filtering or escaping special characters in User-Agent values before they are processed into email content, ensuring that any potentially malicious payloads are neutralized. Additionally, upgrading to patched versions of Liferay Portal is essential as subsequent releases addressed this vulnerability through proper input validation mechanisms. Security teams should also monitor email delivery systems for suspicious patterns in User-Agent headers and implement network-level filtering to detect and block known malicious payloads. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of validating all user-supplied input across all application components, particularly those involved in generating user-facing content such as email notifications.