CVE-2013-0129 in pd-admin
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in pd-admin before 4.17 allow remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the WebFTP Overview "Create new directory" field or (2) the body of an e-mail autoresponder message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/12/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0129 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness affecting the pd-admin web-based administration interface prior to version 4.17. This flaw exists within the WebFTP Overview functionality and email autoresponder components, creating exploitable entry points that could enable malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated user sessions. The vulnerability specifically targets two distinct input vectors that demonstrate poor input validation and output encoding practices within the application's user interface components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data in two primary locations. The first vector involves the "Create new directory" field within the WebFTP Overview section, where attackers can inject malicious scripts that execute when other users view the directory listing. The second vector targets the body of email autoresponder messages, where unfiltered input allows attackers to embed malicious code that executes when the autoresponder message is displayed to users. Both attack paths exploit the fundamental principle that user input should never be trusted and must be properly validated and encoded before being rendered in web contexts. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as the improper handling of untrusted data in web applications. The weakness creates a persistent threat where malicious payloads can be stored and executed repeatedly against unsuspecting users who interact with the affected application components.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-0129 extends beyond simple data theft or display manipulation, as it provides attackers with the capability to establish persistent malicious presence within the targeted environment. When authenticated users access the vulnerable WebFTP interface or view autoresponder messages, their browsers execute the injected scripts, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability affects the integrity of the web application's user interface and can be leveraged to perform actions on behalf of authenticated users, creating a significant threat to the application's security posture. Attackers could potentially use this vulnerability to escalate privileges or establish backdoors within the administrative interface, especially since the vulnerability affects authenticated users who likely possess elevated privileges. This weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes the use of malicious web content to establish initial access through phishing or exploitation of web applications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-0129 require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding measures across all user-facing application components. The most effective remediation involves implementing comprehensive sanitization of all user-supplied data before it is processed or rendered in web contexts, with a focus on HTML encoding for dynamic content. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts and ensure that all input fields undergo strict validation against known good patterns. The application should enforce proper output encoding when displaying user-generated content, particularly in contexts where the data may be rendered as HTML or JavaScript. Additionally, maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing regular security assessments can help identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of defense-in-depth approaches and proper secure coding practices that prevent the injection of malicious code through user input validation failures. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and prevent exploitation attempts targeting similar XSS vulnerabilities.