CVE-2008-2462 in Resin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the viewfile documentation command in Caucho Resin before 3.0.25, and 3.1.x before 3.1.4, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the file parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2462 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Caucho Resin application server software. This issue affects versions prior to 3.0.25 in the 3.0.x series and versions prior to 3.1.4 in the 3.1.x series, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this web application server. The vulnerability specifically resides in the viewfile documentation command functionality, which is designed to display file contents within the application's documentation interface. This flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code against unsuspecting users who interact with the affected system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the file parameter processing mechanism. When the viewfile command receives a file parameter, it fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it in the web response. This insufficient sanitization creates an opening for attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute within the context of the victim's browser session. The vulnerability is classified as a classic reflected XSS attack vector, where malicious input is immediately reflected back to the user without proper encoding or validation. This weakness directly maps to CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities in software applications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Scripting, where adversaries leverage web-based scripting to execute malicious code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially allowing attackers to perform session hijacking, deface web applications, steal sensitive cookies, or redirect users to malicious sites. An attacker could craft a malicious URL containing script code within the file parameter that, when clicked by a victim, would execute the attacker's payload in the victim's browser. This could lead to unauthorized access to user sessions, data exfiltration, or further exploitation of the compromised system. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of web applications running on affected Resin versions, potentially undermining the security posture of entire web infrastructures that depend on this application server. Organizations using these vulnerable versions face significant risk of unauthorized code execution and potential data breaches.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-2462 involve immediate patching of affected Resin installations to versions 3.0.25 or 3.1.4 and later, which contain the necessary input validation fixes. System administrators should also implement additional defensive measures including input validation at multiple layers, output encoding for all dynamic content, and regular security audits of web applications. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense in depth, though they should not replace proper application-level fixes. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any other potentially affected components within their web application stack that might be vulnerable to similar XSS attacks. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce regressions in application functionality while maintaining the security improvements necessary to protect against this specific vulnerability.