CVE-2018-1319 in Allura
Summary
by MITRE
In Apache Allura prior to 1.8.1, attackers may craft URLs that cause HTTP response splitting. If a victim goes to a maliciously crafted URL, unwanted results may occur including XSS or service denial for the victim's browsing session.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/05/2021
Apache Allura versions prior to 1.8.1 contain a critical vulnerability that allows attackers to perform HTTP response splitting through carefully crafted URLs. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-supplied data within the application's URL handling mechanisms. The flaw exists in the way the application processes and interprets URL parameters, particularly those related to redirects and navigation functionality. When a user visits a maliciously crafted URL containing specially formatted parameters, the application fails to properly escape or validate these inputs before incorporating them into HTTP response headers or content, creating an avenue for exploitation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-113, which describes improper neutralization of input during web output, specifically focusing on HTTP response splitting attacks. Attackers can exploit this weakness by injecting malicious characters or sequences into URL parameters that are then processed by the application's redirect functionality. When the application constructs HTTP responses using these unvalidated inputs, it can inject additional response headers or content, effectively splitting the original HTTP response into multiple responses. This manipulation allows attackers to inject malicious content such as javascript payloads for cross-site scripting attacks or to perform session hijacking by injecting malicious cookies or headers that can be executed within the victim's browser context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple XSS attacks, as it can lead to complete session compromise and service denial for affected users. When victims navigate to malicious URLs, their browsing sessions become vulnerable to manipulation by attackers who can inject content that appears to originate from legitimate sources within the Allura application. This creates a significant risk for users who may unknowingly execute malicious code or have their session cookies hijacked, potentially leading to unauthorized access to their accounts. The vulnerability can also be exploited to perform cache poisoning attacks against web proxies and servers, affecting multiple users simultaneously. Additionally, the ability to split HTTP responses enables attackers to craft sophisticated attacks that can bypass security controls and perform actions such as redirecting users to malicious sites or injecting unwanted content into the user's browsing session.
Organizations using Apache Allura versions prior to 1.8.1 should immediately implement mitigations including input validation and sanitization of all URL parameters, particularly those used for redirects and navigation. The recommended approach involves implementing strict validation of input data and proper escaping of special characters that could be used to manipulate HTTP responses. Security teams should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of malicious scripts and deploy web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious URL patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper HTTP response handling and input validation, as outlined in the ATT&CK framework under technique T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for credential access through social engineering. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments of their web applications to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components and ensure that all user inputs are properly validated and sanitized before being processed by the application's response generation mechanisms.