CVE-2004-2211 in Alivesites
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in AliveSites Forums 2.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) forum_id, (2) method, or (3) forum_title parameters to post.asp, (4) the forum_title parameter to forum.asp, or (5) the id parameter to post.asp.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/25/2018
This cross-site scripting vulnerability exists in AliveSites Forums 2.0 software where improper input validation allows remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML code into the application's response. The vulnerability manifests through multiple parameter injection points including forum_id, method, and forum_title parameters in post.asp, as well as the forum_title parameter in forum.asp, and the id parameter in post.asp. These injection points occur when user-supplied data is directly incorporated into web page responses without proper sanitization or encoding mechanisms.
The technical flaw represents a classic XSS vulnerability classified under CWE-79, which describes the improper neutralization of input during web page generation. This weakness allows attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of the victim's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the forum software where user input is processed and displayed without adequate sanitization measures, creating an attack surface that can be exploited through various vector combinations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables attackers to compromise user sessions and potentially gain unauthorized access to forum features. An attacker could craft malicious payloads that would execute when other users view affected pages, leading to persistent XSS attacks. The vulnerability affects the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the forum system, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to post messages, modify content, or even escalate privileges within the forum environment. This represents a critical security risk for any organization relying on the software for collaborative communications.
Mitigation strategies should include implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms to sanitize all user-supplied data before processing or displaying it in web responses. The software should employ context-specific encoding for different output contexts such as HTML, JavaScript, and URL contexts. Additionally, implementing a Content Security Policy (CSP) can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks. Regular security code reviews and input validation testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious input patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content and T1059.007 for command and control through script injection.