CVE-2010-5340 in Webclient
Summary
by MITRE
IceWarp Webclient before 10.2.1 has XSS via an HTTP POST request: webmail/ with the parameter password is non-persistent in 10.2.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/01/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-5340 affects the IceWarp Webclient version 10.2.0 and earlier, representing a cross-site scripting flaw that enables attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. This vulnerability specifically manifests through HTTP POST requests directed to the webmail/ endpoint where the password parameter is not properly sanitized or validated. The issue is classified as non-persistent XSS, meaning the malicious script is executed in the victim's browser without being stored on the server, making it particularly challenging to detect and mitigate. The vulnerability resides in the web application's input validation mechanisms, where user-supplied data fails to undergo proper encoding or filtering before being processed and rendered in the web interface.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious POST request containing script code within the password parameter of the webmail/ endpoint. When the vulnerable application processes this request and displays the password value in the web interface without adequate sanitization, the malicious script code gets executed in the context of the victim's browser session. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in software applications. The non-persistent nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payload is typically delivered through social engineering attacks where victims are tricked into submitting the malicious request, often through phishing emails or compromised links. The attack vector operates entirely through the web interface, requiring no special privileges or access to the underlying system beyond the ability to send HTTP POST requests to the vulnerable endpoint.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-5340 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities within the victim's browser session. Potential consequences include session hijacking, where attackers can steal authentication tokens and impersonate legitimate users, data theft from the webmail interface, and redirection to malicious websites. The vulnerability can be particularly dangerous in environments where users have administrative privileges or access to sensitive information through the IceWarp Webclient. From an attacker perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers social engineering tactics, as attackers can leverage the XSS flaw to manipulate users into executing malicious payloads. The impact is further amplified by the fact that this vulnerability affects a webmail client, which often contains sensitive personal and business communications that could be compromised through session theft or data exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-5340 should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the IceWarp Webclient application. The most effective immediate solution involves upgrading to IceWarp Webclient version 10.2.1 or later, where the vulnerability has been addressed through improved parameter sanitization. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the sources from which scripts can be executed, providing an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks. Input validation should be strengthened to ensure all user-supplied data, particularly parameters like password, undergo proper encoding before being processed or displayed. The application should implement proper HTML escaping for all dynamic content rendered in the web interface, preventing script execution even if malicious input is somehow accepted. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional detection and prevention capabilities, though they should not be relied upon as the sole defense mechanism. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components, particularly in areas handling user input. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of defense-in-depth approaches to web application security, where multiple layers of protection work together to prevent successful exploitation of XSS vulnerabilities.