CVE-2002-0931 in MyHelpDesk
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in MyHelpDesk 20020509, and possibly other versions, allows remote attackers to execute script as other users via a (1) Title or (2) Description when a new ticket is created by a support assistant, via the "id" parameter to the index.php script with the (3) tickettime, (4) ticketfiles, or (5) updateticketlog operations, or (6) via the update section when a ticket is edited.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0931 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in MyHelpDesk version 20020509 and potentially other iterations of the software. This security weakness fundamentally undermines the application's ability to properly sanitize user input, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary scripts within the context of other users' browser sessions. The vulnerability manifests specifically during ticket creation and update operations, where user-supplied data is inadequately validated or escaped before being rendered back to end users, thereby enabling persistent XSS attacks that can compromise user sessions and potentially escalate to more severe security incidents.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through multiple attack vectors within the MyHelpDesk application's interaction with the index.php script. Attackers can manipulate the "id" parameter during various operations including tickettime, ticketfiles, and updateticketlog functions, as well as during the update section of ticket editing processes. These attack surfaces allow malicious code injection at critical points in the application workflow where user input is processed and subsequently displayed without proper sanitization measures. The vulnerability's persistence across different operational contexts suggests a systemic flaw in the application's input handling mechanisms rather than isolated code issues.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to potentially hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, or manipulate the application's functionality from within legitimate user contexts. When support assistants create or update tickets, any malicious script injected through the Title or Description fields can execute automatically when other users view these tickets, creating a sophisticated attack vector that leverages the trust relationship between users and the application. This type of vulnerability directly violates security principles outlined in CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments or links.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of robust input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms throughout the MyHelpDesk application. The most effective approaches include implementing strict validation of all user-supplied input parameters, particularly those used in the index.php script's id parameter handling, and ensuring comprehensive HTML escaping of all dynamic content before rendering. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities, and conduct thorough code reviews to identify and remediate similar input validation weaknesses. Additionally, regular security updates and patch management processes should be established to address such vulnerabilities promptly, as this flaw represents a fundamental security oversight that could be exploited for session hijacking, data exfiltration, or privilege escalation within the support ticketing environment.