CVE-2010-2723 in LISTSERV
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in LISTSERV 15 and 16 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the T parameter. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2723 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting LISTSERV versions 15 and 16, which falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation. This vulnerability exposes the email list management system to malicious injection attacks that can compromise user sessions and potentially lead to full system compromise. The specific weakness occurs within the handling of the T parameter, which is likely used for template selection or dynamic content generation within the LISTSERV interface. The vulnerability's classification as remote indicates that attackers can exploit this flaw without requiring physical access to the system or local network presence, making it particularly dangerous in publicly accessible environments where LISTSERV instances are deployed.
The technical exploitation of this XSS vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input containing script code within the T parameter of LISTSERV requests. When the vulnerable system processes this parameter without proper sanitization or output encoding, the injected malicious scripts execute within the context of other users' browsers who access affected pages. This allows attackers to perform actions such as stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, defacing web pages, or executing unauthorized commands on behalf of authenticated users. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as this vulnerability can serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, including privilege escalation and persistent backdoor installation. The vulnerability's presence in LISTSERV versions 15 and 16 suggests a widespread exposure across organizations relying on these email management systems, particularly those handling sensitive corporate or governmental communications.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations using LISTSERV for internal communications, mailing lists, and collaborative environments. The remote attack vector means that adversaries can target users from anywhere on the internet, potentially compromising entire networks through social engineering or automated scanning of public LISTSERV instances. The vulnerability's exploitation can lead to data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive mailing lists, and potential disruption of email services. Organizations may experience reputational damage if users discover that their communications have been compromised, and the vulnerability could enable attackers to escalate privileges and gain administrative access to the LISTSERV system. The attack surface is particularly broad given that LISTSERV is commonly deployed in enterprise environments where users frequently interact with email lists and web interfaces, making the impact of successful exploitation potentially widespread.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-2723 should prioritize immediate patching of affected LISTSERV versions 15 and 16 through official vendor updates or security patches. Organizations should implement input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent script injection attempts, particularly for parameters like T that handle dynamic content. Web application firewalls can provide additional protection by filtering suspicious script content before it reaches the vulnerable application. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all LISTSERV installations within their network and ensure proper configuration to prevent XSS exploitation. The implementation of content security policies and proper parameter validation aligns with industry best practices and ATT&CK framework techniques for preventing web-based attacks. Regular security monitoring and user education about phishing attempts that may exploit such vulnerabilities are essential components of a comprehensive defense strategy. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation and maintain detailed audit logs to detect unauthorized access attempts.