CVE-2005-1289 in E-Cart
Summary
by MITRE
index.cgi in E-Cart 2004 1.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in the (1) art and possibly (2) cat parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1289 represents a critical command injection flaw in the E-Cart 2004 e-commerce platform version 1.1 and earlier. This vulnerability resides within the index.cgi script which serves as a core component for handling user requests and processing parameters within the web application. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input passed through specific parameters, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary system commands on the underlying server. The vulnerability specifically affects the art and cat parameters, with the latter potentially being equally susceptible to exploitation. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-77 which defines improper neutralization of special elements used in a command, and more specifically aligns with CWE-94 which addresses execution of arbitrary code or commands. The attack vector operates through remote exploitation, allowing attackers to leverage shell metacharacters such as semicolons, ampersands, or backticks to inject and execute malicious commands directly on the target system. The implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with full system access capabilities including file manipulation, privilege escalation, and potential persistence mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-1289 is severe and multifaceted within the context of web application security and business continuity. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can gain complete control over the affected server, potentially leading to data breaches, service disruption, and unauthorized access to sensitive customer information. The vulnerability's remote nature means that exploitation can occur from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the target system. This characteristic makes it particularly dangerous for e-commerce platforms that handle sensitive transactional data and personal customer information. The attack pattern typically involves crafting malicious input strings containing shell metacharacters that get directly incorporated into system commands without proper sanitization or validation. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps to several techniques within the MITRE ATT&CK framework including T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1105 for remote file execution. Organizations running affected versions of E-Cart 2004 face significant risk exposure, particularly in environments where the application is publicly accessible and where the underlying server operates with elevated privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-1289 require immediate attention and comprehensive implementation across affected systems. The most effective immediate solution involves patching the E-Cart 2004 application to a version that properly sanitizes input parameters and implements proper input validation. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls or intrusion prevention systems that can detect and block malicious command injection attempts targeting the specific parameters affected by this vulnerability. Input validation and sanitization should be implemented at multiple layers including application-level filtering, parameter validation, and output encoding to prevent the execution of unintended commands. Network segmentation and privilege separation are crucial defensive measures that can limit the impact of successful exploitation attempts. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual command execution patterns and anomalous parameter values that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing the principle of least privilege for web application processes, ensuring that the application runs with minimal necessary permissions. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications within the organization's infrastructure. The remediation process should also include comprehensive incident response planning to address potential exploitation attempts and ensure rapid containment and recovery procedures are in place. Organizations should also review their overall security posture and consider implementing more robust security controls such as secure coding practices, regular security training for developers, and comprehensive application security testing including dynamic and static analysis tools to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future development cycles.