CVE-2002-1036 in Fluid Dynamics Search Engine
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability in search.pl for Fluid Dynamics Search Engine (FDSE) before 2.0.0.0055 allows remote attackers to execute web script via the (1) Rank or (2) Match parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1036 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Fluid Dynamics Search Engine (FDSE) software ecosystem. This vulnerability specifically affects versions prior to 2.0.0.0055 and resides in the search.pl script that serves as the primary search interface for the application. The flaw manifests when user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to the web browser, creating an environment where malicious actors can inject arbitrary web scripts into the search results page. The vulnerability impacts two distinct parameter fields within the search functionality: the Rank parameter and the Match parameter, both of which are processed by the vulnerable script without adequate input validation or output encoding mechanisms.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability operates as a classic reflected cross-site scripting attack where malicious input is immediately reflected back to the victim's browser without proper sanitization. The Rank and Match parameters serve as entry points for attackers to inject malicious javascript payloads that can execute within the context of the victim's browser session. When a user clicks on a maliciously crafted search link or when search results are displayed containing the injected script, the malicious code executes in the victim's browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or other malicious activities. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as "Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')", which specifically addresses the failure to properly encode or escape user-controllable data before including it in web page output.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack vectors that leverage the trust relationship between the victim and the legitimate search engine. Attackers can craft malicious search queries that, when clicked by unsuspecting users, will execute scripts that can steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or even modify the content of the search results page itself. This creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited across multiple users who access the vulnerable search functionality, potentially affecting thousands of users depending on the deployment scope. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where users trust the search engine to provide safe and reliable results, as the malicious scripts can appear to originate from legitimate sources.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention through software updates to version 2.0.0.0055 or later, which presumably contains the necessary input validation and output encoding fixes. Organizations should implement proper input sanitization techniques that validate and filter all user-supplied data before processing, ensuring that potentially malicious characters are either removed or properly encoded before being included in web responses. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded, while output encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding should be applied to all dynamic content. From an operational security standpoint, regular security assessments of web applications should include comprehensive testing for cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, particularly focusing on parameters that directly influence page content generation. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for "Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment" and T1566.002 for "Phishing: Spearphishing Link", as attackers can leverage the search functionality to deliver malicious payloads through crafted search queries that appear legitimate to end users.