CVE-2002-0458 in News-TNK
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability in News-TNK 1.2.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary Javascript via the WEB parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0458 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting News-TNK version 1.2.1 and earlier systems. This vulnerability resides in the web application's parameter handling mechanism where the WEB parameter fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into web responses. The flaw enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary javascript code into web pages viewed by other users, creating a persistent security risk within the affected application environment. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting weaknesses in web applications where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into generated web pages without proper validation or encoding.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the fundamental weakness in input validation and output encoding practices within the News-TNK application. When the WEB parameter is processed by the server-side code, it does not perform adequate sanitization or encoding of special characters that could be interpreted as javascript commands. Attackers can craft malicious payloads containing javascript code within the WEB parameter value, which then gets executed in the context of other users' browsers when they access pages that include the vulnerable parameter. This creates a persistent threat vector where malicious code injection can occur without requiring authentication or privileged access to the system itself. The vulnerability demonstrates poor secure coding practices that violate core web application security principles and represents a classic example of how insufficient input validation can lead to severe client-side exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to perform various malicious activities within the context of affected users' browsers. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, modify page content, or even perform actions on behalf of authenticated users if they have sufficient privileges. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the target system. This vulnerability particularly affects web applications that do not properly implement output encoding or context-specific escaping mechanisms, making it a significant concern for any organization relying on outdated or unpatched web applications. The vulnerability also impacts user trust and application integrity, as users may unknowingly execute malicious code while browsing the affected application.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-0458 should prioritize immediate remediation through patching or upgrading to a non-vulnerable version of News-TNK. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other applications. The solution involves ensuring that all user-supplied input is properly sanitized before being incorporated into web responses, with specific attention to characters that could be interpreted as script commands such as angle brackets, quotes, and javascript keywords. Security measures should include implementing Content Security Policies to limit script execution, using proper HTML encoding for dynamic content, and implementing proper parameter validation. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs that can identify and remediate such issues before they can be exploited by malicious actors. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The remediation process should follow industry best practices for secure coding and application hardening, ensuring that similar vulnerabilities are not present in other parts of the application stack.