CVE-2002-1085 in ezContents
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in ezContents 1.41 and earlier allow remote attackers to execute script and steal cookies via the diary and other capabilities.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/08/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1085 represents a critical security flaw in ezContents version 1.41 and earlier systems, exposing web applications to cross-site scripting attacks that can compromise user sessions and execute malicious code. This vulnerability specifically targets the diary and other interactive features of the ezContents platform, creating attack vectors that allow remote threat actors to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's handling of user-supplied data, particularly in the diary functionality and related components that process user-generated content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting as a weakness where applications fail to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. Attackers can exploit this flaw by submitting malicious script code through the diary submission interface or other interactive capabilities, which then gets executed in the context of other users' browsers when they view the affected content. This creates a persistent threat where the malicious scripts can steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites. The vulnerability's impact is amplified because ezContents was designed as a content management system where user-generated content is frequently displayed, making the attack surface particularly broad.
The operational implications of CVE-2002-1085 extend beyond simple script execution to encompass complete session hijacking and potential privilege escalation within affected systems. When users browse pages containing the malicious scripts, their browser cookies are transmitted to the attacker's server, enabling session theft and unauthorized access to user accounts. This vulnerability directly maps to techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 sub-technique for scripting, where adversaries leverage web-based scripting languages to execute malicious code. The attack can be executed without requiring user interaction beyond visiting the compromised page, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that serve content to multiple users simultaneously.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar issues. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms that sanitize all user-supplied data before it is processed or displayed, particularly in web applications that handle user-generated content. The recommended approach includes implementing proper HTML entity encoding for all dynamic content, utilizing Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution, and deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script injection attempts. Additionally, the system should be upgraded to a patched version of ezContents that addresses the identified cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, as the original version contains fundamental flaws in its data handling processes that cannot be adequately mitigated through configuration changes alone. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify potential injection points and ensure that all user input is properly validated and sanitized before being incorporated into web responses.