CVE-2009-0417 in Agavi
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the AgaviWebRouting::gen(null) method in Agavi 0.11 before 0.11.6 and 1.0 before 1.0.0 beta 8 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL with certain characters that are not properly handled by web browsers that do not strictly follow RFC 3986, such as Internet Explorer 6 and 7.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2018
The CVE-2009-0417 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Agavi web application framework, specifically affecting versions 0.11 prior to 0.11.6 and 1.0 prior to 1.0.0 beta 8. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of URL characters within the AgaviWebRouting::gen(null) method, which processes URL generation and routing within the framework. The flaw exploits the inconsistent behavior of web browsers that do not strictly adhere to RFC 3986 standards for URL encoding and decoding, creating a window for malicious input injection that can be executed in the context of a user's browser session.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when attackers craft malicious URLs containing specially formatted characters that are not properly sanitized or encoded by the Agavi framework. When Internet Explorer 6 and 7 encounter these malformed URLs, they handle the character encoding differently than browsers that strictly follow RFC 3986, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript code that executes in the victim's browser. This behavior creates a persistent XSS vector because the injected code can be stored in the URL parameters and executed whenever the malformed URL is accessed, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that rely on user-provided URL parameters for routing decisions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user data, redirect users to malicious websites, or manipulate application functionality. The vulnerability specifically targets the routing mechanism of the Agavi framework, meaning that any application using this framework and processing user-supplied URL parameters through the affected gen(null) method becomes susceptible to attack. Given that Internet Explorer 6 and 7 were widely deployed at the time of this vulnerability, the attack surface was substantial and the potential for exploitation was high.
Security practitioners should recognize this vulnerability as a variant of CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments and T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter execution. Mitigation strategies include implementing proper input validation and sanitization of URL parameters, upgrading to patched versions of the Agavi framework, and employing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution. Additionally, developers should ensure that all URL generation methods properly encode special characters according to RFC 3986 standards, and implement proper output encoding when rendering user-supplied data in web contexts to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future development cycles.