CVE-2008-0720 in Webmin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Webmin 1.370 and 1.390 and Usermin 1.300 and 1.320 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the search parameter to webmin_search.cgi (aka the search section), and possibly other components accessed through a "search box" or "open file box." NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2018
The CVE-2008-0720 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Webmin and Usermin web-based administration interfaces. This vulnerability specifically targets versions 1.370 and 1.390 of Webmin, along with 1.300 and 1.320 of Usermin, creating a significant security risk for system administrators who rely on these tools for remote server management. The flaw resides in the webmin_search.cgi component, which processes search parameters without adequate input sanitization, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code into the application's response. This vulnerability operates at the application layer and demonstrates a classic XSS attack vector where user-supplied input is directly reflected back to the browser without proper encoding or validation. The impact extends beyond the search functionality to potentially affect other components that utilize search boxes or open file boxes, indicating a broader architectural weakness in input handling throughout the affected software suites.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input containing script code within the search parameter and submits it to the vulnerable webmin_search.cgi endpoint. Upon processing, the application fails to properly sanitize or encode the user input before rendering it in the web response, causing the browser to execute the injected malicious code in the context of the victim's session. This allows attackers to perform actions such as stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, defacing web interfaces, or executing unauthorized commands on the compromised systems. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-site Scripting flaws in web applications, and follows the ATT&CK framework's T1059.007 technique for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers can leverage the XSS to execute arbitrary code within the victim's browser context. The flaw demonstrates a lack of proper input validation and output encoding practices that are fundamental to preventing XSS attacks in web applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-0720 extends far beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it provides attackers with persistent access to system administration interfaces that can lead to complete system compromise. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can hijack administrator sessions, potentially gaining full control over the managed servers and executing privileged operations such as modifying system configurations, installing malware, or accessing sensitive data repositories. The vulnerability affects both Webmin and Usermin applications, which are commonly used for managing Unix and Linux systems, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on these tools for remote server administration. The reflected nature of the XSS attack means that victims must actually interact with the malicious payload, typically through phishing emails or compromised websites, but once executed, the attack can persist across multiple sessions until the vulnerability is patched or the user clears their browser cache.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from the software vendors, which would have addressed the input validation issues in the search components. Network administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious search parameter inputs, while also deploying proper input validation at the application level to sanitize all user-supplied data before processing. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual search patterns or script injection attempts in web server logs, and regular security audits should verify that all web-based management interfaces have proper XSS protection mechanisms in place. The vulnerability underscores the importance of input validation and output encoding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security risks, particularly the prevention of XSS vulnerabilities through proper sanitization of user inputs. Additionally, implementing security headers such as Content Security Policy can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded within the application's context.