CVE-2003-0587 in Ultimate Bulletin Board
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Infopop Ultimate Bulletin Board (UBB) 6.x allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary web script and gain administrative access via the "displayed name" attribute of the "ubber" cookie.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2019
The CVE-2003-0587 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Infopop Ultimate Bulletin Board version 6.x software ecosystem. This vulnerability specifically targets the cookie management system, where the "ubber" cookie contains a "displayed name" attribute that fails to properly sanitize user input. The flaw exists in the web application's handling of authenticated user sessions, creating a pathway for malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into the application's response. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authenticated access to exploit, meaning that an attacker who has already compromised a legitimate user account can leverage this weakness to escalate privileges and gain administrative control over the bulletin board system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the "displayed name" attribute within the "ubber" cookie, which is then reflected in the web application's user interface without proper input validation or output encoding. When an authenticated user visits a page that processes this malicious cookie value, the injected script executes in the context of the victim's browser session, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, modify user permissions, or perform administrative actions. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing a reflected XSS attack vector where the malicious payload is embedded in a cookie value rather than directly in URL parameters or form fields. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices and inadequate output encoding mechanisms that are fundamental to secure web application development.
The operational impact of CVE-2003-0587 extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with a means to achieve privilege escalation within the UBB system. Once an attacker successfully injects malicious code through the vulnerable cookie attribute, they can potentially access administrative functions, modify forum content, delete posts, manipulate user accounts, or even compromise the entire bulletin board infrastructure. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers can exploit it from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the system, while the authenticated requirement reduces the attack surface but does not eliminate the risk. This vulnerability represents a significant threat to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the bulletin board system's data and user information, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive user data.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2003-0587 should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's cookie handling processes. Organizations should immediately implement cookie validation measures that sanitize all user-supplied data before storing it in cookies, particularly in attributes like the "displayed name" field. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while proper session management practices should be enforced to minimize the impact of any successful exploitation attempts. Security patches should be applied to upgrade to newer versions of the UBB software that address this specific vulnerability, and administrators should conduct thorough security audits of all cookie-based authentication mechanisms. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help monitor for suspicious cookie values and prevent exploitation attempts, while regular security training for developers should emphasize the importance of proper input validation and output encoding to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future code releases.