CVE-2005-1356 in includer.cgi
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in includer.cgi script in The Includer allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the argument.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/26/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1356 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within The Includer application's includer.cgi script. This security weakness resides in the improper validation and sanitization of user-supplied input parameters, specifically those passed through script arguments. The flaw manifests when the application fails to adequately filter or escape special characters in input data before incorporating it into web page responses, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute unauthorized scripts within the context of other users' browsers.
This vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration classification CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws where applications fail to properly validate or escape user-controllable data before including it in dynamically generated web content. The attack vector leverages the fact that the includer.cgi script processes arguments without sufficient input sanitization, allowing remote attackers to inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code that gets executed in the victim's browser when the page is rendered. The security implications extend beyond simple script execution as this flaw can enable session hijacking, credential theft, and various other malicious activities that compromise user security and application integrity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows attackers to bypass normal security boundaries and execute arbitrary code within users' browser contexts. When a victim visits a malicious page or interacts with a compromised application feature, the injected scripts can steal session cookies, redirect users to fraudulent sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of web applications by enabling unauthorized access to user data and potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges within the application environment. This type of flaw particularly impacts web applications that rely heavily on dynamic content generation and user input processing.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-1356 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through proper validation techniques that reject or escape potentially dangerous characters such as angle brackets, quotes, and script tags. Implementing proper HTML escaping and context-appropriate encoding for data inserted into web pages prevents script execution even when malicious input is present. Additionally, organizations should deploy web application firewalls and implement content security policies to add layers of protection against XSS attacks. Regular security auditing and input validation testing should be conducted to ensure that similar vulnerabilities are not present in other application components, following the principle of least privilege and defense in depth as outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework for web application security. The remediation process should include updating The Includer application to versions that properly handle input validation and implementing proper secure coding practices throughout the development lifecycle.