CVE-2004-1690 in DNS4me
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Web Server in DNS4Me 3.0.0.4 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary web script or HTML via the URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/21/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1690 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the web server component of DNS4Me version 3.0.0.4. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of injection attacks and specifically manifests as a client-side code injection vector that can be exploited by remote attackers to compromise web applications. The flaw resides in how the web server processes and handles URL parameters, creating an environment where malicious input can be executed within the context of other users' browsers. According to CWE-79, this vulnerability directly maps to the classic Cross-Site Scripting weakness where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without proper validation or sanitization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious scripts through URL parameters that are not adequately filtered or escaped before being rendered in web responses. When a victim accesses a specially crafted URL containing malicious script code, the web server processes this input without sufficient sanitization measures, resulting in the execution of unauthorized code within the victim's browser context. This particular flaw affects the DNS4Me web server component and demonstrates a fundamental failure in input validation and output encoding practices. The vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can be leveraged to perform sophisticated attacks against users of the affected system. Attackers can craft malicious URLs that, when visited by unsuspecting users, will execute scripts that can steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or even modify the content of web pages displayed to victims. The remote nature of this attack means that exploitation can occur from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the target system. This vulnerability particularly affects web applications that rely on user input for dynamic content generation, as it demonstrates how insufficient input validation can create persistent security weaknesses. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, specifically web shell execution, and represents a significant threat to web application security.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's web server component. Organizations should ensure that all user-supplied input, particularly URL parameters, undergoes strict sanitization before being processed or rendered in web responses. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while proper encoding of output data prevents malicious scripts from executing even if input validation fails. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in web applications, with particular attention to how user input is handled in web server components. The remediation approach should align with industry best practices outlined in OWASP Top Ten and should include comprehensive testing to ensure that all potential injection vectors have been addressed, including the implementation of proper escape sequences and validation routines that prevent the execution of unauthorized scripts in web browser contexts.