CVE-2005-0995 in ProductCart
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in ProductCart 2.7 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the keyword parameter to advSearch_h.asp, (2) the redirectUrl parameter to NewCust.asp, (3) the country parameter to storelocator_submit.asp, or (4) the error parameter to techErr.asp. NOTE: it has been reported that storelocator_submit.asp does not exist in ProductCart.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/06/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-0995 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting ProductCart 2.7 e-commerce software. This vulnerability exposes multiple attack vectors through which remote attackers can inject malicious web scripts or HTML content into the application's response, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity. The affected parameters include keyword in advSearch_h.asp, redirectUrl in NewCust.asp, country in storelocator_submit.asp, and error in techErr.asp, creating multiple entry points for exploitation. The presence of these vulnerabilities demonstrates poor input validation and output encoding practices within the application's web interface components, which directly violates security best practices established in industry standards such as CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. The technical flaw stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages, allowing attackers to inject malicious payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, manipulate application data, and potentially redirect users to malicious websites. When attackers exploit the redirectUrl parameter in NewCust.asp, they can manipulate the application's redirection logic to send users to phishing sites, while the keyword parameter in advSearch_h.asp allows for injection into search result displays. The country parameter in storelocator_submit.asp, despite the reported non-existence of the file, suggests that the vulnerability may have been present in other related components or could have been a documentation artifact. These vulnerabilities create persistent security risks for e-commerce platforms, as they can be exploited to compromise customer data, manipulate transactions, and undermine the trust in the online shopping experience. The exploitation of these vulnerabilities aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which describes social engineering tactics involving the delivery of malicious content to users.
The remediation strategies for this vulnerability require comprehensive input validation and output encoding implementations across all user-facing parameters. Organizations should implement strict sanitization of all user-supplied input, particularly parameters used in dynamic content generation, and employ proper HTML encoding when rendering user data in web responses. The solution involves modifying the affected ASP scripts to validate and sanitize input parameters before processing, implementing Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution, and conducting thorough security testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. Security patches should address the root cause by ensuring that all parameters passed to dynamic web generation functions undergo proper validation and encoding, preventing the injection of malicious content that could compromise user sessions or application integrity. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of secure coding practices and input validation in web applications, particularly in e-commerce systems where user data protection is paramount.