CVE-2003-1211 in MaxWebPortal
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in search.asp for MaxWebPortal 1.30 and possibly earlier versions allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the Search parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-1211 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the MaxWebPortal content management system version 1.30 and potentially earlier iterations. This security weakness resides in the search.asp component which fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into web responses. The vulnerability manifests when attackers exploit the Search parameter to inject malicious scripts or HTML code that gets executed in the context of other users' browsers. This type of flaw directly violates the fundamental principles of web application security and represents a significant risk to user data and system integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices within the MaxWebPortal application. When users submit search queries through the search.asp page, the application processes these inputs without sufficient sanitization measures to prevent malicious code injection. The vulnerability specifically targets the Search parameter, which serves as an entry point for attackers to inject script code that executes in the victim's browser context. This flaw aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes improper neutralization of input during web page generation as a primary cause of XSS vulnerabilities. The attack vector operates through the standard HTTP request mechanism where malicious payloads are embedded within the search parameter and subsequently rendered in web pages viewed by unsuspecting users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution to encompass serious security implications for web applications and their users. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform session hijacking, steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even modify content displayed to other users. The persistence of such vulnerabilities in older web portal systems demonstrates the critical need for proper input validation and output encoding practices. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability represents a low-effort, high-impact vector for compromising user sessions and potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which describes the use of malicious web content to compromise user sessions and data integrity.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2003-1211 require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding measures within the MaxWebPortal application. The primary remediation involves sanitizing all user inputs through proper encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding before incorporating them into web responses. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution. Organizations should also consider upgrading to newer versions of MaxWebPortal where these vulnerabilities have been addressed through proper security hardening. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of regular security assessments and the necessity of implementing secure coding practices throughout the application lifecycle. Security teams should also implement web application firewalls and monitoring systems to detect and prevent exploitation attempts targeting such vulnerabilities.