CVE-2002-0494 in Websight Directory System
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability in WebSight Directory System 0.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary Javascript and gain access to the WebSight administrator via a new link submission containing the script in a website name.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-0494 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the WebSight Directory System version 0.1, a web-based directory management application that was prevalent in the early 2000s. This security weakness resides in how the system processes user input when creating new link submissions, specifically in the handling of website names. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious javascript code into the directory system through the website name field, which then gets executed in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected directory entries. This particular implementation of XSS demonstrates a critical oversight in input sanitization and output encoding practices that were common during the early web development era when security considerations were often secondary to functionality.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which defines cross-site scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is sent to a web browser without proper validation or encoding, allowing attackers to inject client-side scripts. The WebSight Directory System fails to properly sanitize user-supplied website names before rendering them in HTML output, creating an environment where javascript code can be executed in the context of other users' sessions. This specific implementation allows attackers to submit malicious content in the website name field, which then becomes part of the HTML output when the directory is displayed, enabling the execution of arbitrary javascript code in the victim's browser. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows attackers to bypass normal authentication mechanisms and potentially gain administrative access to the WebSight system itself.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with a pathway to escalate privileges and compromise the entire directory system. When an administrator or regular user views a maliciously crafted directory entry, the injected javascript code executes in their browser context, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even perform administrative actions on behalf of the victim. This vulnerability could enable attackers to establish persistent access to the WebSight system, modify directory entries, or potentially gain full administrative control. The attack vector requires minimal sophistication and can be executed through simple web form submissions, making it particularly dangerous in environments where directory systems are widely used and trusted.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms as recommended by the OWASP Top Ten project and aligned with ATT&CK technique T1203 for exploitation of web application vulnerabilities. The most effective immediate solution involves sanitizing all user input through proper HTML encoding before rendering any content in web pages, ensuring that special characters like angle brackets, quotes, and script tags are properly escaped. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. The system should also enforce strict validation of website name fields to reject or sanitize potentially malicious content. Long-term security improvements should include adopting modern web application frameworks that provide built-in protection against XSS attacks and implementing proper security testing practices including automated scanning and manual penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the directory system.