CVE-2002-2386 in Xoops
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Quizz module for XOOPS 1.0, when allowing on-line question development, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a javascript: URL in the SRC attribute of an IMG tag.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2018
The CVE-2002-2386 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Quizz module of XOOPS version 1.0, a popular content management system that was widely deployed in web environments during the early 2000s. This vulnerability specifically manifests when the system permits online question development functionality, creating a dangerous attack vector that enables remote adversaries to execute malicious code within the context of other users' browsers. The flaw occurs due to insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-supplied data, particularly when processing HTML content submitted through the quiz creation interface. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize user input, making it a direct descendant of the well-known OWASP Top 10 web application security risks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of IMG tag attributes, specifically targeting the SRC attribute where attackers can inject javascript: URLs that execute malicious scripts in the victim's browser. When a user views a quiz containing maliciously crafted content, the browser interprets the javascript: URL as executable code rather than a simple image source, leading to unauthorized script execution. This type of XSS vulnerability operates as a stored XSS attack since the malicious content is persisted in the system's database and subsequently served to other users without requiring additional interaction from the victim. The vulnerability demonstrates a critical lack of proper HTML sanitization and context-aware output encoding, which are fundamental security practices recommended by the Open Web Application Security Project and the OWASP Secure Coding Practices.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-2386 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious websites. Attackers could potentially steal user authentication cookies, modify quiz content to display fraudulent information, or redirect users to phishing sites that appear legitimate. The vulnerability affects the entire user base of affected XOOPS installations, making it particularly dangerous for educational institutions or organizations that rely on the system for online assessments and surveys. Given that the Quizz module was designed for interactive online question development, the attack surface was inherently larger, as it accepted rich text input from multiple users. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Phishing and T1566.002 for Spearphishing via Service, as attackers could use the XSS to create convincing phishing pages or manipulate quiz content to harvest user credentials.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied content using established HTML sanitization libraries that remove or escape potentially dangerous elements such as javascript: URLs in IMG tag attributes. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. The XOOPS development team should have implemented proper context-aware encoding when rendering user-generated content, ensuring that any data displayed in HTML contexts is properly escaped to prevent script execution. Additionally, access controls should be implemented to restrict which users can create or modify quiz content, reducing the attack surface. Security patches should have included input validation that specifically rejects or sanitizes javascript: URLs in image source attributes, as this represents a common attack pattern documented in security advisories from organizations like the CERT/CC and the National Vulnerability Database. The vulnerability serves as a critical reminder of the importance of defense-in-depth strategies and the necessity of implementing proper input validation and output encoding as fundamental security controls in web applications.