CVE-2008-2248 in Exchange Srv
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Outlook Web Access (OWA) for Exchange Server 2003 SP2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified HTML, a different vulnerability than CVE-2008-2247.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/12/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2248 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within Microsoft Outlook Web Access component of Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2. This security weakness specifically affects the web-based email interface that millions of enterprise users rely on for accessing their corporate mailboxes. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the OWA application's HTML processing capabilities, creating an exploitable condition that enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the application's response handling. Unlike CVE-2008-2247 which addressed a separate XSS vector, this particular flaw focuses on unspecified HTML injection points within the OWA user interface, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with widespread Exchange Server deployments.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers can manipulate input fields or parameters within the OWA interface to inject malicious script code that executes in the context of other users' browsers. This type of attack leverages the fundamental principle of cross-site scripting where trusted web applications inadvertently include untrusted data in their output, creating opportunities for attackers to execute malicious code on victim browsers. The flaw exists in the HTML sanitization and rendering mechanisms of OWA, where user-supplied content containing script tags or other malicious HTML elements is not properly escaped or filtered before being displayed to end users. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing a reflected XSS attack vector where malicious input is immediately reflected back in the application's response without proper encoding.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-2248 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration from compromised user accounts. Attackers can craft malicious links or emails that, when clicked by authenticated users, execute scripts that steal session cookies or redirect users to phishing sites designed to capture login credentials. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where Exchange Server 2003 remains operational, as these systems often contain sensitive corporate data and privileged user accounts. The attack surface is broad since OWA serves as the primary web interface for email access, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to establish persistent access to corporate networks through compromised user sessions.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Microsoft security patches released in response to this flaw, implementing proper input validation at the application level, and deploying web application firewalls to filter suspicious HTML content. Network segmentation strategies should be employed to limit access to Exchange services, and users should be educated about phishing attempts that might exploit this vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1566 technique of Phishing, where the malicious script execution enables attackers to perform credential harvesting and maintain access to target systems. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses in other web applications, as this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of robust HTML sanitization and output encoding in preventing XSS attacks. Microsoft's security advisory for this vulnerability specifically recommends enabling the appropriate security updates and implementing additional protective measures to prevent exploitation of this cross-site scripting flaw.