CVE-2002-1732 in Catalog
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Actinic Catalog 4.7.0 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the query string argument to certain .pl files, (2) the REFPAGE parameter to ca000007.pl, (3) PRODREF parameter to ss000007.pl, or (4) hop parameter to ca000001.pl.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/23/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1732 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness in Actinic Catalog version 4.7.0, a web-based e-commerce platform that was widely deployed in the early 2000s for online retail operations. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security flaw that allows malicious actors to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The affected system operates as a catalog management solution that handles product information, customer interactions, and various web transactions through perl scripts that process user input without adequate sanitization mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through four distinct attack vectors that all stem from improper input validation within the application's perl scripts. The first vector involves the query string argument to certain .pl files, where user-supplied parameters are directly incorporated into web responses without proper encoding or filtering. The second vector targets the REFPAGE parameter within ca00000007.pl, while the third focuses on the PRODREF parameter in ss000000007.pl, and the fourth attack vector utilizes the hop parameter in ca000001.pl. These specific parameters represent common entry points for user interaction within the e-commerce platform, making them prime targets for exploitation. Each of these vectors allows attackers to inject malicious javascript code or html content that gets executed in the context of other users' browsers when they access the affected pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it provides attackers with the capability to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, and potentially escalate privileges within the web application. When users browse pages that contain malicious scripts injected through these parameters, their browsers execute the attacker-controlled code, which could redirect them to malicious sites, steal cookies, or perform unauthorized actions on their behalf. This vulnerability particularly affects e-commerce environments where user trust and session management are critical, as it undermines the security of customer interactions and potentially exposes sensitive transaction data. The attack surface is broad given that the vulnerability affects multiple perl scripts within the application, increasing the likelihood of successful exploitation.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 for 'Account Access Removal' and T1213 for 'Data from Information Repositories', as attackers could potentially use the XSS to gain access to customer accounts and extract sensitive information. The exploitation process typically involves crafting malicious URLs containing script payloads that are then delivered to unsuspecting users through social engineering, compromised advertisements, or by exploiting the vulnerability in vulnerable web applications. The remediation approach requires implementing proper input validation, output encoding, and parameter sanitization across all affected perl scripts. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers, regular security assessments, and web application firewalls to provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices in web applications and highlights how seemingly minor input validation flaws can result in significant security breaches in e-commerce platforms.