CVE-2008-1797 in WebWasher
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Secure Computing Webwasher 5.30 before build 3159 and 6.3.0 before build 3150 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (freeze) via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/23/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-1797 represents a critical denial of service weakness within Secure Computing Webwasher software versions 5.30 prior to build 3159 and 6.3.0 prior to build 3150. This issue resides in the web filtering appliance's handling of malformed URL inputs, creating a scenario where remote attackers can exploit the system's processing logic to induce system freezes. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-129, which encompasses issues related to improper validation of input boundaries, and more specifically aligns with CWE-400, addressing unspecified resource exhaustion conditions that can lead to system instability. The flaw operates at the application layer of the network stack, specifically targeting the URL parsing and validation mechanisms that Webwasher employs to process web traffic.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a specially formatted URL that, when processed by the vulnerable Webwasher appliance, triggers an abnormal execution path within the software's URL handling routines. This crafted input likely causes the system to enter an infinite loop or consume excessive system resources during parsing operations, ultimately resulting in the appliance freezing or becoming unresponsive to legitimate traffic. The vulnerability's remote nature means attackers do not require physical access or local network privileges to exploit the weakness, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where web filtering appliances serve as critical infrastructure components. The attack vector specifically involves HTTP or HTTPS requests containing malformed URL sequences that the Webwasher software cannot properly handle, causing the system to stall rather than gracefully rejecting or sanitizing the input.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risk to organizations relying on Secure Computing Webwasher for network security and content filtering. When exploited, the denial of service condition can disrupt legitimate business operations by preventing users from accessing web resources through the compromised filtering appliance. The freeze condition affects the entire web filtering capability of the device, potentially exposing the network to unfiltered traffic or creating bottlenecks in network operations. Organizations may experience extended downtime while administrators investigate and resolve the issue, potentially leading to productivity losses and increased operational costs. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple service disruption as it could be leveraged as part of a larger attack campaign where attackers use the freeze condition to mask other malicious activities or to create conditions that allow for further exploitation of the compromised system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-1797 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Webwasher appliances to the latest available builds that contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect unusual patterns in web traffic that might indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of robust input validation mechanisms and regular security assessments can help identify similar vulnerabilities in other network filtering systems. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability aligns with T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, and T1595.001, addressing network boundary compromise through exploitation of remote services. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed URL patterns and alert administrators to potential exploitation attempts. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing of web filtering appliances should be conducted to ensure comprehensive protection against similar weaknesses in network infrastructure components.