CVE-2004-1874 in A-CART
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in (1) deliver.asp and (2) billing.asp in A-CART Pro and A-CART 2.0 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the user information forms.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/18/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1874 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness affecting web applications built with A-CART Pro and A-CART 2.0 platforms. This security flaw manifests in two distinct locations within the application's codebase, specifically in the deliver.asp and billing.asp files, which serve as critical components for handling user information and transaction processing. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before incorporating it into web page responses. Attackers can exploit this weakness by submitting malicious script code through user information forms, which then gets executed in the context of other users' browsers when the affected pages are accessed.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in web applications where untrusted data is improperly integrated into web pages without adequate sanitization or encoding. This particular implementation flaw allows attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML content through the application's user input forms, creating a persistent threat vector that can be exploited across multiple user sessions. The vulnerability is classified as a remote code execution risk since attackers do not need physical access to the system but can leverage the web interface to deliver malicious payloads. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that the affected files handle user information and billing processes, making them prime targets for exploitation.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-1874 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it creates opportunities for attackers to hijack user sessions, redirect traffic to malicious sites, or harvest sensitive information from authenticated sessions. When users navigate to pages containing the injected scripts, their browsers execute the malicious code in the context of the vulnerable application, potentially leading to credential theft, session hijacking, or further exploitation through techniques such as credential stuffing or privilege escalation. The vulnerability's persistence means that once exploited, the malicious scripts can continue to affect users until the application is patched or the affected pages are modified. Organizations running these applications face significant risks including regulatory compliance violations, reputational damage, and potential legal consequences from data breaches.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of the affected A-CART versions, though given the age of this vulnerability, organizations may need to consider migrating to supported platforms. The recommended technical controls include implementing comprehensive input validation that filters or escapes special characters in user-supplied data, particularly those used in HTML and JavaScript contexts. Organizations should deploy proper output encoding mechanisms that convert potentially dangerous characters into their safe representations before rendering user data in web pages. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded and executed. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and input sanitization practices in web application development, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting languages and T1566 for social engineering attacks that leverage XSS vulnerabilities. Organizations should establish secure coding practices that prevent similar issues in future development cycles, emphasizing the principle of least privilege and proper data validation at all input points.