CVE-2005-0303 in Comersus Backoffice Lite
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in (1) comersus_supportError.asp or (2) comersus_backofficelite_supportError.asp in BackOffice Lite 6.0 and 6.01 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the error parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-0303 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting BackOffice Lite 6.0 and 6.01 web applications. This vulnerability exists in two specific file components: comersus_supportError.asp and comersus_backofficelite_supportError.asp which are part of the BackOffice Lite software suite. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious web script or HTML code through the error parameter, creating a persistent security risk for web applications utilizing this software. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices within the error handling mechanisms of these specific ASP components.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the application processes error messages without proper sanitization of user-supplied input. When attackers manipulate the error parameter in the URL, the malicious code gets executed within the context of the victim's browser session. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and represents a classic case of insecure input handling where user-controllable data is directly incorporated into web responses without appropriate validation or encoding. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the application's security architecture where error handling routines become attack vectors rather than protective mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, or redirect victims to malicious websites. Since the vulnerability affects core error handling components, it can be exploited across various application functions that generate error messages, making it particularly dangerous. Attackers could leverage this weakness to execute persistent XSS payloads that remain active as long as the application continues to process error parameters. The attack surface is significant because error handling is a fundamental part of application operation, making this vulnerability particularly difficult to defend against through traditional perimeter security measures.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of the affected BackOffice Lite versions to address the root cause of improper input validation. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization mechanisms that validate and encode all user-supplied data before processing, particularly within error handling routines. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection layers against XSS attacks, while regular security audits of web application components should identify similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the system. This vulnerability highlights the importance of proper security testing during application development phases and demonstrates how seemingly benign error handling functionality can become critical attack vectors when not properly secured. The remediation process should include comprehensive code reviews of all error handling components and implementation of automated input validation mechanisms that align with OWASP secure coding practices and ATT&CK framework mitigations for web application vulnerabilities.