CVE-2005-1012 in SiteEnable
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Iatek SiteEnable allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the contenttype parameter to content.asp, (2) the title, or (3) the description.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/06/2019
The CVE-2005-1012 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Iatek SiteEnable software that exposes web applications to remote code execution through malicious script injection. This vulnerability resides in the content.asp script where user-controllable parameters can be manipulated to inject harmful javascript code into web pages viewed by other users. The flaw specifically affects three parameter fields including contenttype, title, and description which are processed without adequate input validation or output encoding mechanisms.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which defines the common weakness of cross-site scripting in web applications where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without proper sanitization or encoding. The attack vector enables remote adversaries to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of the victim's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input handling practices where the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection as it creates persistent security risks for organizations using Iatek SiteEnable. Attackers can leverage this flaw to establish backdoors, steal session cookies, perform unauthorized transactions, or deface web pages with malicious content. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of web applications by allowing unauthorized modification of content and potential data exfiltration. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for scripting and T1566 for spearphishing with malicious attachments, as attackers can use the XSS to deliver additional payloads.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding across all user-controllable parameters. Organizations must ensure that all dynamic content generated from user inputs undergoes proper HTML escaping and sanitization before rendering in web browsers. The solution involves deploying web application firewalls, implementing proper content security policies, and establishing secure coding practices that prevent XSS vulnerabilities. Additionally, regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar flaws in web applications. The vulnerability underscores the importance of following secure coding guidelines such as those outlined in OWASP Top Ten and the principle of least privilege in web application development to prevent such persistent security weaknesses.