CVE-2008-3330 in Horde
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in services/obrowser/index.php in Horde 3.2 and Turba 2.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the contact name.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/21/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-3330 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Horde web application framework, specifically affecting versions 3.2 of the Horde application and 2.2 of the Turba contact management component. This issue resides in the services/obrowser/index.php file, which serves as a key interface for contact browsing and management within the Horde suite. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly handle user-supplied data containing malicious script code. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specially formatted contact names that include embedded javascript or html content, which then gets executed in the context of other users' browsers when they view the contact information.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting weaknesses in web applications. This classification indicates that the flaw occurs when untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding, creating an environment where malicious scripts can be injected and executed. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it leverages the contact name field, which is a common and frequently used input field within contact management systems. When a victim accesses the contact browser interface, the malicious script embedded in the contact name gets executed in their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. This vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no special privileges to exploit, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where administrators and regular users may be exposed to the same malicious content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attacks such as credential harvesting through session manipulation or phishing attempts that appear legitimate to users. An attacker who successfully injects malicious code through a contact name could potentially steal user session cookies, redirect users to fraudulent websites, or even execute more complex attacks through the compromised browser context. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the entire Horde application suite, as any user who views the affected contact information becomes a potential victim. Given that contact management systems often contain sensitive personal and organizational information, this flaw could facilitate broader security breaches beyond simple XSS exploitation. The impact is particularly severe in enterprise environments where the Horde application might be used for managing sensitive contact data, employee directories, or customer information.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of affected versions, with administrators upgrading to patched versions of both Horde 3.2 and Turba 2.2 to eliminate the XSS vulnerability. Implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application code is essential, ensuring that all user-supplied data undergoes sanitization before being rendered in web pages. The principle of least privilege should be applied to the contact management functionality, restricting the ability to inject malicious content to only authorized users. Additionally, implementing content security policies and using proper html encoding techniques can provide defense-in-depth measures against similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious script injection attempts, while monitoring for unusual patterns in contact data entries that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security risks, emphasizing that proper sanitization of user inputs is fundamental to preventing XSS attacks in web applications.