CVE-2002-0459 in Board-TNK
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability in Board-TNK 1.3.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary Javascript via the WEB parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0459 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Board-TNK version 1.3.1 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 processing. The flaw allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary javascript code into the application's response, creating a persistent security risk that can be exploited across multiple user sessions. The vulnerability specifically impacts web applications built using the Board-TNK framework, which was commonly deployed for bulletin board and discussion forum functionalities in web environments during the early 2000s.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices within the Board-TNK application. When the WEB parameter is processed by the server-side code, it does not perform sufficient sanitization or escaping of special characters that could be interpreted as javascript code. This lack of proper input filtering creates a direct pathway for attackers to inject malicious scripts that will execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability manifests as a classic reflected cross-site scripting issue where the malicious payload is embedded within the URL or form data and then reflected back to the user's browser without proper encoding. This flaw aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities due to improper neutralization of input during web page generation.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-0459 extends beyond simple script execution, as successful exploitation can lead to complete session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized access to user accounts. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal cookies, session tokens, and other sensitive authentication data that would normally be protected by the application's security model. The vulnerability also enables more sophisticated attacks such as phishing campaigns where users are redirected to malicious sites or where the injected javascript can manipulate the user interface to capture sensitive information. Additionally, the persistent nature of the flaw means that once exploited, attackers can maintain access to compromised systems for extended periods, potentially causing significant data breaches and unauthorized system modifications. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 sub-technique for scripting and T1531 for credential access through web application attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-0459 require immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding measures. Organizations should implement strict parameter validation that rejects or sanitizes all special characters that could be interpreted as javascript code, particularly angle brackets, quotes, and script tags. The most effective approach involves implementing proper HTML encoding of all user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages, ensuring that any potentially dangerous characters are converted to their safe HTML entity equivalents. Additionally, organizations should deploy web application firewalls and input validation rules that can detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit this vulnerability. The recommended solution includes upgrading to Board-TNK version 1.3.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the input sanitization issues. Security teams should also implement comprehensive monitoring and logging to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications within the organization's infrastructure.