CVE-2014-4510 in apt-cacher
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in job.cc in apt-cacher-ng 0.7.26 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2024
The CVE-2014-4510 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in apt-cacher-ng version 0.7.26, specifically within the job.cc component of this popular caching proxy software. This vulnerability exposes systems running apt-cacher-ng to significant security risks by allowing remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content through specially crafted URLs. The flaw exists in the web interface handling mechanism where user-supplied input is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered in web responses, creating an avenue for persistent cross-site scripting attacks that can compromise user sessions and data integrity.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing script code that gets processed by the apt-cacher-ng web interface. The job.cc module fails to implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, allowing attackers to inject malicious payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws where web applications fail to properly validate or encode user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects the web-based administrative interface of apt-cacher-ng, potentially allowing attackers to execute arbitrary commands or steal session cookies from authenticated users.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-4510 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable more sophisticated attacks within the targeted environment. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information from authenticated users, redirect victims to malicious sites, or even execute arbitrary code within the browser context. The vulnerability affects systems using apt-cacher-ng for package repository caching, which are commonly found in enterprise environments, development teams, and network infrastructures where package management is centralized. This creates a significant risk for organizations that rely on the software for maintaining software repositories, as compromised systems could lead to unauthorized access to package distributions, potential supply chain attacks, or complete network compromise through browser-based exploitation vectors.
Security mitigations for CVE-2014-4510 should prioritize immediate patching of affected apt-cacher-ng installations to version 0.7.27 or later, which includes the necessary input validation fixes. Organizations should also implement network-level protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious URL patterns, along with regular security monitoring to identify potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing proper input sanitization at multiple layers, including validating and encoding all user-supplied data before processing, and configuring the web interface to use strict content security policies. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving web application exploitation and session management compromise, and organizations should ensure their incident response procedures include detection and remediation strategies for cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in caching and proxy services. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices and input validation in web applications, particularly those handling user-provided data in administrative interfaces, aligning with defensive techniques focused on preventing injection attacks and maintaining proper data sanitization throughout application processing pipelines.