CVE-2005-1494 in MegaBook
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in admin.cgi in MegaBook 2.0 and 2.1 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) entryid or (2) password parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1494 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness in the MegaBook 2.0 and 2.1 content management systems. This vulnerability resides within the admin.cgi administrative interface component, which serves as the primary control point for managing the web application's content and user access. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input parameters before processing them in the server-side script, creating an environment where malicious actors can inject harmful code that executes in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the admin.cgi script. Specifically, the entryid and password parameters demonstrate insufficient sanitization processes that allow attackers to inject malicious payloads directly into these fields. When the application processes these parameters without proper filtering or encoding, it inadvertently executes attacker-controlled scripts within the browser context of authenticated users. This vulnerability operates under the CWE-79 classification for Cross-Site Scripting, which specifically addresses the injection of executable code into web applications. The attack vector requires minimal privileges as the vulnerability exists in the administrative interface, potentially allowing unauthorized users to escalate their access and compromise the entire system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data manipulation. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute arbitrary code in the browser of any user who accesses the affected application, potentially gaining access to administrative functions or sensitive data. The vulnerability's presence in the administrative interface creates a particularly dangerous scenario where unauthorized parties can potentially gain full control over the web application's content management capabilities, leading to complete system compromise. This weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Phishing, as attackers can craft malicious links that appear legitimate to administrators, and T1071.001 for Application Layer Protocol for web-based attacks.
The exploitation of this vulnerability typically requires an attacker to craft malicious input containing script tags or other executable code within the vulnerable parameters. Once injected, the malicious code executes in the context of authenticated users' browsers, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, modify content, or redirect users to malicious sites. The vulnerability affects both MegaBook 2.0 and 2.1 versions, indicating it was a persistent flaw in the application's design that required patching across multiple releases. Organizations using these versions faced significant risk as the vulnerability could be exploited without requiring complex attack chains, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that handle sensitive data or user information. The lack of proper input validation and output encoding in the admin.cgi script demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the application's security architecture that needed immediate remediation through proper parameter sanitization and context-aware output encoding practices.