CVE-2000-0253 in Dansie Shopping Cart
Summary
by MITRE
The dansie shopping cart application cart.pl allows remote attackers to modify sensitive purchase information via hidden form fields.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/21/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2000-0253 affects the dansie shopping cart application through its cart.pl script which processes customer purchase transactions. This represents a classic example of insecure direct object references and input validation failures that have plagued web applications since their early development phases. The flaw manifests in the application's handling of form data where sensitive purchase information can be manipulated by remote attackers through modification of hidden form fields that are typically used to maintain state and track transaction details during the checkout process.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's insufficient validation of user-supplied input parameters within the cart.pl script. When customers proceed through the purchasing workflow, the application relies on hidden form fields to maintain critical transaction data such as product quantities, prices, and order totals. These fields are not properly sanitized or validated on the server side, allowing malicious actors to alter their values before submission. This creates a scenario where attackers can manipulate the shopping cart contents, potentially increasing order values or changing product specifications without proper authorization. The vulnerability specifically relates to CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and CWE-284, which covers improper access control mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple financial gain to encompass potential data integrity breaches and customer trust erosion. Attackers could exploit this weakness to inflate order totals, insert unauthorized products into transactions, or manipulate pricing structures to their advantage. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and demonstrates poor implementation of access control measures within the application's transaction processing logic. The consequences can include direct financial loss for both customers and merchants, potential legal implications due to fraudulent transactions, and significant reputational damage to businesses relying on the affected shopping cart system.
Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigations including input validation and sanitization techniques to prevent unauthorized modifications of form fields. The application should employ server-side validation of all transaction parameters, ensuring that values remain within expected ranges and that no unauthorized modifications occur during the checkout process. Additionally, implementing proper session management and cryptographic signing of form data can prevent tampering with hidden fields. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 which covers application layer protocol manipulation, and T1566 which addresses credential harvesting through social engineering. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious form modifications, along with regular security testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in legacy applications that may not have been updated to current security standards.