CVE-2005-1492 in Gossamer Threads Links-sql
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in user.cgi in Gossamer Threads Links SQL 2.x and 3.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the url parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/07/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1492 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Gossamer Threads Links SQL 2.x and 3.0 web applications. This security weakness resides in the user.cgi script which fails to properly validate or sanitize user input before processing. The specific vector of attack occurs through the url parameter where malicious actors can inject arbitrary web script or HTML code that gets executed in the context of other users' browsers. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, making it a well-documented and widely recognized security concern in web application development.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices within the web application's processing pipeline. When the user.cgi script receives the url parameter, it does not perform adequate sanitization or encoding of the input data before incorporating it into dynamic web content. This allows attackers to craft malicious URLs containing script tags or other HTML elements that execute in the victim's browser when the affected page is rendered. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it enables attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites. The flaw exists at the application layer where user-supplied data is directly embedded into web responses without proper context-aware encoding.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement. Attackers can leverage this weakness to conduct session hijacking attacks, where they capture user authentication tokens and impersonate legitimate users within the application. Additionally, the vulnerability enables more sophisticated attacks such as credential harvesting, where users unknowingly submit their login information to attacker-controlled endpoints. The persistence of the vulnerability across multiple versions of the Gossamer Threads Links SQL platform suggests a fundamental architectural flaw in the input handling mechanisms that affects a broad user base. This type of vulnerability also increases the risk of secondary attacks including phishing campaigns, where the injected scripts can modify the application interface to deceive users into revealing sensitive information.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-1492 should focus on immediate input validation and output encoding implementations. The most effective approach involves implementing proper parameter sanitization where all user-supplied input undergoes strict validation before being processed or displayed. This includes encoding special characters such as angle brackets, quotes, and script tags to prevent their interpretation as executable code. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy headers to limit the sources from which scripts can be loaded and executed within the application context. The remediation process should include thorough code review and input validation testing to ensure that similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other components of the web application. According to ATT&CK framework category T1531, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities for privilege escalation and data exfiltration, making it a critical target for immediate remediation. The vulnerability also demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to OWASP Top Ten security guidelines to prevent such flaws from being introduced in web application development processes.