CVE-2002-1804 in NPDS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in NPDS 4.8 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via Javascript in an IMG tag.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2025
The CVE-2002-1804 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in NPDS version 4.8, a content management system that was widely used for web publishing and portal development during the early 2000s. This vulnerability falls under the well-known CWE-79 category which specifically addresses cross-site scripting weaknesses in web applications. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of a victim's browser session, potentially leading to unauthorized actions on behalf of the user. The vulnerability manifests when the system fails to properly sanitize user input, particularly in image tag attributes where javascript code can be embedded within the src parameter of img tags.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the lack of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the NPDS platform. When users submit content containing image tags with javascript code embedded in the src attribute, the system processes this input without adequate sanitization. This creates an environment where malicious actors can inject javascript payloads that execute in the browser context of legitimate users who view the affected content. The vulnerability specifically targets the IMG tag processing functionality, allowing attackers to embed javascript code within the image source attribute, which bypasses standard security measures designed to prevent such malicious input.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-1804 extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, and potentially gain unauthorized access to user accounts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which describes the use of malicious code to steal credentials or establish persistent access. The attack surface is particularly concerning for organizations using NPDS 4.8 as it allows attackers to compromise not just individual user sessions but potentially entire user bases through a single vulnerable page. The vulnerability also represents a significant risk to web application security posture, as it demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in preventing client-side attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-1804 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. Organizations should immediately upgrade to patched versions of NPDS or implement proper HTML sanitization routines that strip or encode dangerous attributes from user-provided content. The solution should include validating all image source attributes to ensure they contain legitimate image URLs rather than javascript code. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Security practitioners should also consider deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious patterns in image tag attributes, as this vulnerability represents a classic example of how insufficient input validation can lead to severe client-side exploitation. The remediation process must also include thorough code review of all user input handling mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities from existing in other parts of the application.