CVE-2002-2246 in Visnetic Website
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in VisNetic Website before 3.5.15 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the HTTP referer header (HTTP_REFERER) to a non-existent page, which is injected into the resulting 404 error page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/05/2025
This cross-site scripting vulnerability exists in VisNetic Website versions prior to 3.5.15 and represents a classic reflected XSS flaw that exploits the HTTP referer header mechanism. The vulnerability occurs when the web application fails to properly sanitize user input from the HTTP_REFERER header before incorporating it into error page content. When a remote attacker accesses a non-existent page, the server generates a 404 error page that includes the malicious referer data without adequate filtering or encoding, allowing arbitrary web script or HTML code to be executed in the context of the victim's browser.
The technical exploitation relies on the application's improper handling of the HTTP referer header during error processing. When a request is made to a non-existent page, the server's error handling mechanism includes the HTTP_REFERER value directly into the 404 error page content without proper HTML escaping or input validation. This creates a reflected XSS vector where the malicious payload is reflected back to the user's browser through the error page, enabling attackers to execute scripts in the victim's browser context. The vulnerability specifically targets the error page generation logic and demonstrates poor input sanitization practices in web application security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of web pages, and redirection to malicious sites. An attacker can craft a referer header containing malicious JavaScript code that will execute whenever a user visits a non-existent page on the vulnerable site. This type of attack can be particularly effective in phishing campaigns or when targeting users who frequently navigate to websites that may be vulnerable to such attacks. The vulnerability affects any user who accesses the web application and encounters a 404 error page that reflects the malicious referer data.
The vulnerability maps to CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly sanitize user input before including it in web page content. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001: Phishing via Social Media, as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to create malicious error pages that appear legitimate to users. The fix requires implementing proper input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied data, particularly headers like HTTP_REFERER, before inclusion in error page content. Organizations should ensure that all HTTP headers are sanitized and that error pages do not directly reflect user input without proper HTML escaping. This vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation across all web application components and demonstrates how seemingly innocuous error handling can become a security risk when proper sanitization is not implemented.
The remediation approach involves upgrading to VisNetic Website version 3.5.15 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the XSS vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding for HTTP headers, particularly the referer header, should be enforced at the application level. Security controls should include regular security assessments of error handling mechanisms and input validation routines to prevent similar issues from arising in other parts of the web application. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to provide additional protection against XSS attacks, even when other security measures fail. This vulnerability serves as a reminder that error handling and logging mechanisms should be treated with the same security rigor as core application functionality.