CVE-2004-2094 in WebcamXP
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in WebcamXP 1.06.945 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary HTML or web script as other users via a URL that contains the script.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2094 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within WebcamXP version 1.06.945, a web-based surveillance application designed for remote monitoring and control of webcams. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of input validation weaknesses that have been consistently documented in web security frameworks and represent one of the most prevalent threats in web application security landscapes. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input within URL parameters, creating an environment where malicious actors can inject harmful script code that executes in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability occurs at the application layer where WebcamXP processes URL parameters without adequate sanitization or encoding mechanisms. When a user navigates to a specially crafted URL containing malicious script code, the application incorporates this input directly into its response without proper validation or transformation. This allows attackers to inject HTML tags, javascript code, or other malicious payloads that execute in the victim's browser when they access the compromised page. The vulnerability is classified as reflected XSS since the malicious script is reflected back to the user through the application's response rather than being stored within the application's database. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be delivered through various attack vectors including email links, social engineering campaigns, or compromised web pages that redirect users to malicious URLs.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it creates a potential attack surface for more sophisticated exploitation techniques. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious websites, or even establish persistent backdoors within the victim's browsing environment. The attack requires minimal technical expertise to execute, making it particularly dangerous for widespread exploitation. This vulnerability represents a critical threat to user privacy and system integrity, especially considering that WebcamXP was designed for surveillance purposes where users would trust the application with sensitive visual data and access controls. The vulnerability's presence could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to webcam feeds, potentially leading to privacy breaches and unauthorized surveillance activities that violate user expectations and security policies.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through proper encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding, JavaScript encoding, and URL encoding before incorporating any user data into application responses. The application should implement strict input validation that rejects or removes potentially malicious characters and patterns from URL parameters. Additionally, developers should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of inline scripts and restrict the sources from which scripts can be loaded. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a typical example of how inadequate input sanitization creates exploitable conditions. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1566 which covers social engineering attacks through malicious links and T1059 which involves command and scripting interpreter execution. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls, regular security code reviews, and comprehensive penetration testing to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across their web applications. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of security by design principles and proper input validation in all web application development processes to prevent such widespread exploitation patterns.