CVE-2012-4667 in SquidClamav
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in SquidClamav 5.x before 5.8 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) url, (2) virus, (3) source, or (4) user parameter to (a) clwarn.cgi, (b) clwarn.cgi.de_DE, (c) clwarn.cgi.en_EN, (d) clwarn.cgi.fr_FR, (e) clwarn.cgi.pt_BR, or (f) clwarn.cgi.ru_RU in cgi-bin/.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/12/2021
The vulnerability CVE-2012-4667 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting SquidClamav versions 5.x prior to 5.8. This vulnerability resides within the web interface components of the squidclamav package, specifically targeting the clwarn.cgi script and its localized variants. The affected parameters include url, virus, source, and user fields which are processed through various language-specific versions of the warning script located in the cgi-bin directory. This issue falls under CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as a fundamental weakness in web applications that allow attackers to inject malicious client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of input parameters passed to the clwarn.cgi scripts, which are designed to display warning messages about detected viruses or security threats. When these parameters are not properly sanitized or validated, attackers can inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability affects multiple localized versions of the script, indicating a systemic flaw in the input handling mechanism rather than an isolated issue in one language variant. This widespread impact across different language locales suggests that the developers failed to implement consistent sanitization measures across all localized components of the application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information, redirect users to malicious sites, or even execute arbitrary commands within the context of the victim's browser session. Given that SquidClamav operates as a web proxy filtering solution, the compromised system could potentially expose users to further attacks through the manipulation of security warnings or the redirection of traffic to malicious destinations. The vulnerability's presence in a security tool creates a particularly dangerous scenario where an attacker could exploit the very system designed to protect against threats.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the affected application components. The most effective immediate solution involves upgrading to SquidClamav version 5.8 or later where the vulnerability has been patched. Additionally, administrators should implement proper parameter sanitization routines that escape special characters in all user-supplied input before processing or displaying it in web responses. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, though the root cause must be addressed through proper code modifications. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes the use of web application vulnerabilities for initial access or privilege escalation in targeted environments.