CVE-2002-1681 in Slashcode
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Slashcode CVS releases June 17 through July 1 2002 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary script as other users by injecting script into the paragraph <P> tag.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/09/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1681 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in Slashcode CVS releases spanning from June 17 through July 1, 2002. This security weakness resides in the web application's handling of user input within paragraph HTML tags, specifically the <P> tag element. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to inject malicious scripts that can execute in the context of other users' browsers, effectively compromising the integrity of the web application and potentially leading to unauthorized access or data manipulation. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the Slashcode platform, which fails to properly escape or filter user-supplied content before rendering it within HTML contexts.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input containing script code within paragraph tags that are subsequently processed and displayed by the web application. When other users view pages containing this malicious content, their browsers execute the injected scripts as if they originated from the legitimate web application. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities in software applications. The attack vector operates through the manipulation of HTML content where the paragraph tag serves as the injection point, allowing attackers to bypass normal security controls that might otherwise prevent script execution in other contexts.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-1681 extends beyond simple script execution to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or modify content displayed to other users. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of Slashcode's content management system, potentially compromising all user interactions within the web application. This weakness particularly impacts web applications that rely heavily on user-generated content, as it allows attackers to manipulate the display of information to unsuspecting users. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input sanitization and output encoding in preventing client-side attacks that can compromise entire user bases.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should implement proper HTML escaping for all user-supplied content before rendering it within web pages, particularly focusing on paragraph tags and other HTML elements that may serve as injection vectors. The recommended approach involves applying context-specific encoding based on the output context where data is displayed, following established security guidelines such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten project. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against script execution. Security patches should be applied immediately to upgrade to versions of Slashcode that address this vulnerability, as the timeframe of June 17 through July 1, 2002 represents a specific window where this flaw existed in the codebase. Regular security assessments and input validation testing should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the web application architecture, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and script injection attacks that exploit similar input handling weaknesses in web applications.