CVE-2002-0549 in Anthill
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in Anthill allow remote attackers to execute script as other Anthill users.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/27/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0549 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Anthill application, a web-based project management and collaboration tool that was widely used in enterprise environments during the early 2000s. This security weakness specifically affects the application's handling of user input within its web interface, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary script code in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Anthill platform's user interface components, particularly affecting areas where user-generated content is displayed without proper sanitization.
The technical implementation of this cross-site scripting vulnerability allows remote attackers to craft malicious payloads that exploit the application's failure to properly validate and sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages. When authenticated users view pages containing malicious script code injected through vulnerable input fields, the script executes within their browser context with the privileges of the victim user. This creates a persistent threat where attackers can steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of victims, or redirect users to malicious websites. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the web interface components where user data is processed and displayed, making it particularly dangerous in collaborative environments where multiple users interact with shared project data.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-0549 extends beyond simple script execution, as it fundamentally compromises the security model of Anthill applications by enabling privilege escalation through session hijacking and data manipulation. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to impersonate legitimate users, access confidential project information, modify shared resources, and potentially gain access to underlying systems through the compromised user sessions. The vulnerability affects all users who have access to the Anthill application, making it particularly dangerous in environments where sensitive business data is managed through the platform. Organizations using Anthill were vulnerable to persistent attacks that could remain undetected for extended periods, as the malicious scripts would execute automatically when affected users accessed vulnerable pages, creating a stealthy method of maintaining access and exfiltrating data.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-0549 require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the Anthill application interface. Security measures should include comprehensive sanitization of all user input fields, implementation of strict content security policies, and proper encoding of dynamic content before display in web pages. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious script injection attempts, along with regular security audits of the application's input handling processes. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices that should be addressed through comprehensive application security reviews and input validation frameworks. Additionally, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following ATT&CK framework techniques related to initial access through web application attacks and privilege escalation through session manipulation, highlighting the need for layered security approaches that protect against both direct exploitation and long-term persistence within affected systems.