CVE-2009-5113 in WebGlimpse
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in wgarcmin.cgi in WebGlimpse 2.18.7 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the DOC parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/15/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-5113 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in WebGlimpse 2.18.7 and earlier versions, specifically within the wgarcmin.cgi component. This vulnerability resides in the handling of user-supplied input through the DOC parameter, which is processed without adequate sanitization or validation mechanisms. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers, potentially compromising the security of web applications that rely on this software component for document management and retrieval functionalities.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is incorporated into web page content without proper validation or encoding. The flaw occurs because the wgarcmin.cgi script fails to properly sanitize the DOC parameter before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. When an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing script tags or HTML elements and submits it through the DOC parameter, the web application processes this input directly without implementing appropriate output encoding or input validation measures. This creates an environment where the malicious code gets executed in the victim's browser context when the affected page is rendered.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can lead to significant security breaches including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal user sessions, redirect victims to malicious websites, or inject persistent malicious content that affects all users of the vulnerable application. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require local system access or physical presence, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that serve a wide user base. The vulnerability affects not just individual users but potentially entire organizations that rely on WebGlimpse for document management and search capabilities, as any user interacting with the affected web interface could become a victim of the XSS attack.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content and T1059.007 for command and script injection. The attack surface is particularly concerning for web applications that process user-generated content or document metadata, as the vulnerability can be exploited through various vectors including email attachments, web forms, or direct URL manipulation. Organizations implementing WebGlimpse for enterprise document management or search functionalities face heightened risk of compromise, especially if the application is exposed to untrusted user populations or public-facing interfaces. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in preventing XSS attacks, as proper implementation of these security controls would have prevented the malicious code injection from occurring. Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability as part of broader web application security assessments and ensure that all components within web applications undergo rigorous input validation testing to prevent similar issues from occurring in other parts of the software stack.