CVE-2014-3941 in TYPO3
Summary
by MITRE
TYPO3 4.5.0 before 4.5.34, 4.7.0 before 4.7.19, 6.0.0 before 6.0.14, 6.1.0 before 6.1.9, and 6.2.0 before 6.2.3 allows remote attackers to have unspecified impact via a crafted HTTP Host header, related to "Host Spoofing."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3941 represents a critical host spoofing issue affecting multiple versions of the TYPO3 content management system. This flaw manifests through manipulation of HTTP Host headers, enabling attackers to exploit the system's trust in these headers for authentication and authorization decisions. The vulnerability impacts TYPO3 versions ranging from 4.5.0 through 4.5.33, 4.7.0 through 4.7.18, 6.0.0 through 6.0.13, 6.1.0 through 6.1.8, and 6.2.0 through 6.2.2, creating a widespread security concern across the TYPO3 ecosystem. The issue stems from the application's insufficient validation of Host header values, which can be manipulated to bypass security controls and potentially gain unauthorized access to protected resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the fundamental trust that web applications place in HTTP Host headers for determining the originating domain of requests. When TYPO3 processes incoming requests, it relies on the Host header to construct absolute URLs, determine authentication contexts, and enforce access controls. Attackers can craft malicious Host headers that contain domain names or IP addresses different from the actual server, causing the application to behave as if requests are coming from different sources. This manipulation can lead to various security implications including session hijacking, cross-site scripting attacks, and bypassing authentication mechanisms that depend on domain validation. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited without requiring any authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous as it allows for reconnaissance and exploitation from external networks.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-3941 extends beyond simple access control bypasses and can enable sophisticated attack scenarios. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to perform session fixation attacks, manipulate URL generation for phishing purposes, or redirect users to malicious sites while maintaining the appearance of legitimate TYPO3 applications. The unspecified impact mentioned in the CVE description suggests that depending on the specific implementation and configuration, attackers might be able to escalate privileges, access sensitive data, or perform unauthorized administrative actions. This vulnerability particularly affects web applications that rely on Host header validation for security decisions, making it a significant concern for organizations running TYPO3 systems in production environments. The vulnerability also aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for phishing, as it enables attackers to manipulate application behavior and user interactions.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of their TYPO3 installations to versions 4.5.34, 4.7.19, 6.0.14, 6.1.9, and 6.2.3 respectively. Additionally, implementing network-level mitigations such as Host header validation at reverse proxies or load balancers can provide temporary protection while patches are deployed. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual Host header patterns and abnormal URL generation behavior. The fix implemented in affected versions typically involves strengthening input validation of HTTP headers and ensuring that the application does not trust Host header values for critical security decisions. Organizations should also conduct security assessments to verify that no unauthorized access has occurred and consider implementing additional security controls such as Content Security Policy headers and proper session management to mitigate potential exploitation of this vulnerability.