CVE-2004-0682 in Cart
Summary
by MITRE
comersus_gatewayPayPal.asp in Comersus Cart 5.09, and possibly other versions before 5.098, allows remote attackers to change the prices of items by directly modifying them in the URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0682 resides within the comersus_gatewayPayPal.asp component of Comersus Cart version 5.09 and potentially earlier versions up to 5.097. This represents a critical security flaw that fundamentally undermines the integrity of online transaction processing within the e-commerce platform. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper parameter handling within the payment gateway integration, specifically when processing PayPal transactions. Attackers can exploit this weakness by directly manipulating URL parameters to alter item pricing information, thereby enabling unauthorized price modifications during the checkout process.
This vulnerability falls under the category of insecure direct object reference as defined by CWE-639, where the application fails to properly validate user input before using it to access internal objects. The flaw represents a classic example of parameter manipulation that allows attackers to bypass normal application controls and directly influence system behavior. The security implications extend beyond simple price tampering, as this vulnerability could potentially enable attackers to manipulate transaction amounts, potentially leading to financial loss for merchants and unauthorized revenue extraction. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires no authentication or privileged access, making it accessible to any remote attacker who can observe or intercept the transaction URL.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for e-commerce businesses utilizing Comersus Cart software. Merchants could face direct financial losses through unauthorized price reductions, where customers might purchase items at discounted rates or even at zero cost. Additionally, the vulnerability could enable attackers to inflate prices, causing revenue loss or customer dissatisfaction. The exploitation of this flaw could also compromise the merchant's reputation and trustworthiness in online transactions. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability may violate various security standards including those outlined in the payment card industry data security standard (PCI DSS) which requires proper validation of all inputs to prevent unauthorized modifications to transaction data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation and parameter sanitization within the application code. The primary fix involves ensuring that all parameters received from external sources are validated against expected values before being processed in the payment gateway. Developers should implement proper session management and authentication checks to prevent unauthorized modifications to transaction data. Additionally, the application should employ proper access controls and validate that all transaction parameters originate from legitimate sources within the application rather than being directly manipulated by end users. Security measures should include logging and monitoring of transaction parameters to detect suspicious modifications. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and input filtering mechanisms to prevent malicious parameter manipulation. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices and the principle of least privilege in web application development, as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security framework and ATT&CK technique T1068 for exploit development.