CVE-2002-1708 in Basilix
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability (XSS) in BasiliX Webmail 1.10 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary script as other users by injecting script into the (1) subject or (2) message fields.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-1708 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the BasiliX Webmail 1.10 platform that fundamentally compromises user security and system integrity. This vulnerability exists due to insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web application's handling of user-submitted data. The flaw specifically affects the subject and message fields of email communications, creating an attack vector where malicious actors can inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they exploit the trust relationship between web applications and their users, allowing attackers to perform actions on behalf of victims without their knowledge or consent.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize user input before rendering it within web pages. When users compose emails or view messages containing malicious scripts in either the subject or message fields, the web application fails to encode or escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This lack of proper input sanitization creates an environment where attackers can inject malicious payloads that persist within the application's data storage and execute whenever other users view the affected content. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79, which defines Cross-Site Scripting as the improper validation or encoding of user-provided data that leads to execution of unintended code within the victim's browser context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data theft or display manipulation. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform session hijacking, steal authentication tokens, redirect users to malicious websites, or even execute administrative commands within the webmail interface. The consequences are particularly severe for email systems where users may have elevated privileges or access to sensitive corporate data. Since the vulnerability affects core messaging functionality, it can be exploited repeatedly across multiple users within the same organization, potentially leading to widespread compromise of communication channels and data integrity. The attack can be executed through simple web-based interfaces, making it accessible to attackers with minimal technical expertise and requiring no specialized tools beyond standard web browsers.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The most effective immediate solution involves implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms that escape or filter potentially dangerous characters before processing user data. Organizations should deploy proper HTML sanitization libraries and ensure that all user-generated content is properly encoded when rendered in web contexts. Additionally, the application should implement Content Security Policy headers to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts and establish proper session management practices. This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities through malicious input injection. Organizations must also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications and ensure comprehensive protection against evolving attack vectors.