CVE-2003-1556 in CC Guestbook
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in cc_guestbook.pl in CGI City CC GuestBook allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) name and (2) homepage_title (webpage title) parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/13/2025
This cross-site scripting vulnerability exists in the CGI City CC GuestBook application's cc_guestbook.pl script, representing a classic insecure input handling flaw that has persisted in web applications for decades. The vulnerability specifically affects two parameter inputs: name and homepage_title, which are processed without proper sanitization or output encoding, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most common and dangerous web application security flaws identified by the CWE database.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input containing script tags or HTML elements and submits them through the vulnerable parameters. When other users view the guestbook entries containing this malicious content, their browsers execute the injected scripts in the context of the vulnerable application, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The attack vector leverages the application's failure to properly validate and sanitize user inputs before rendering them in web pages, creating a persistent threat that affects all users who interact with the compromised guestbook entries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable sophisticated attacks that compromise user sessions and data integrity. Attackers can exploit this weakness to steal cookies, modify content, or redirect users to phishing sites that appear legitimate. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in guestbook applications because user-generated content is inherently trusted by the application, making it easier for attackers to craft convincing malicious payloads that users will interact with naturally. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1531 for Account Access Removal, as it can facilitate unauthorized access to user accounts and data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective approach involves implementing strict input validation that rejects or sanitizes potentially dangerous characters and sequences before processing user inputs. Additionally, all output generated by the application should be properly encoded using context-appropriate encoding methods such as HTML entity encoding for web page content. Organizations should also implement proper content security policies and consider adopting modern web application frameworks that include built-in protections against XSS attacks. Regular security testing and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components, as this type of flaw often appears in legacy web applications that lack modern security controls. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the fix does not break legitimate functionality while effectively preventing script injection attacks.