CVE-2022-33012 in Microweber
Summary
by MITRE • 11/22/2022
Microweber v1.2.15 was discovered to allow attackers to perform an account takeover via a host header injection attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/30/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-33012 affects Microweber version 1.2.15 and represents a critical security flaw that enables unauthorized account takeover through host header injection techniques. This vulnerability specifically exploits how the application processes HTTP host headers during authentication and session management operations, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate the application's behavior and gain unauthorized access to user accounts. The flaw stems from insufficient validation and sanitization of host header values, allowing attackers to inject malicious host information that the application processes without proper verification.
Host header injection attacks leverage the fact that web applications often rely on the Host header from HTTP requests to determine the target domain for redirects, URL generation, and authentication flows. In the context of Microweber, this vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate the host header to redirect users to malicious domains or to bypass authentication mechanisms entirely. The attack typically involves crafting a malicious HTTP request with a forged Host header value that the application accepts and processes, potentially leading to session hijacking, password reset manipulation, or complete account compromise. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-20, which addresses improper input validation, and specifically relates to CWE-16, representing configuration issues that can lead to security weaknesses.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it directly compromises the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the Microweber application. Attackers can exploit this flaw to perform session fixation attacks, manipulate password reset flows, or redirect users to phishing sites that appear legitimate to the application. The vulnerability affects the core security infrastructure of the platform, potentially allowing unauthorized individuals to access sensitive user data, modify content, or perform administrative actions within the application. Organizations using Microweber v1.2.15 face significant risk of data breaches and unauthorized access to their web applications, particularly in environments where user authentication and session management are critical components of the security posture.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-33012 should focus on implementing proper host header validation and sanitization within the application code. The recommended approach includes enforcing strict validation of host header values against a predefined whitelist of acceptable domains, implementing proper input sanitization to prevent injection attacks, and ensuring that the application does not rely solely on host header information for critical security decisions. Organizations should also consider implementing security headers such as Content Security Policy to prevent unauthorized redirections and ensure that all authentication flows are properly validated against known good host values. Additionally, the vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001, which involves phishing through social media platforms, as attackers may leverage the compromised accounts to further spread malicious activities. The most effective remediation involves upgrading to a patched version of Microweber that addresses the host header injection vulnerability, combined with comprehensive security testing to ensure no other similar injection points exist within the application's architecture.