CVE-2005-1146 in CalendarScript
Summary
by MITRE
** DISPUTED ** NOTE: this issue has been disputed by the vendor. Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the login command in calendar.pl in CalendarScript 3.21 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the username parameter, a different vulnerability than CVE-2005-1145.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1146 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within CalendarScript version 3.21, specifically affecting the login command functionality in the calendar.pl script. This issue has been disputed by the vendor, indicating potential disagreement over the severity classification or technical details of the vulnerability. The core problem manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input during the authentication process, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated sessions.
The technical exploitation occurs through the username parameter in the login command where insufficient input validation allows attackers to inject malicious payloads. When a user submits a specially crafted username containing script code, the application processes this input without adequate sanitization or encoding mechanisms. This weakness enables attackers to bypass normal authentication procedures and potentially redirect users to malicious websites, steal session cookies, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the web interface components that handle user authentication requests.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, data theft, and privilege escalation within the calendar application. An attacker could craft malicious usernames that, when processed by the vulnerable calendar.pl script, would execute scripts in the browser context of any user who views the affected page or interacts with the application. This creates a persistent threat vector that remains active as long as the vulnerable version of CalendarScript remains deployed, potentially affecting all users who authenticate through the compromised login interface.
Security professionals should note this vulnerability's classification under CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this under T1566, specifically the technique of "Phishing" as attackers could leverage the XSS vulnerability to redirect users to fraudulent login pages or steal credentials through malicious script execution. Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of input validation and output encoding mechanisms, proper sanitization of all user-supplied data, and implementation of Content Security Policy headers. Organizations should also consider upgrading to patched versions of CalendarScript or implementing web application firewalls to protect against exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability.