CVE-2005-1605 in SiteStudio
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the guestbook for SiteStudio 1.6 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the name field to (1) psoft.guestbook.GuestBookServ in Standalone Site Studio or (2) E-Guest_sign.pl in Integrated Site Studio with H-Sphere.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-1605 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw affecting SiteStudio 1.6 implementations in both standalone and integrated configurations. This security weakness resides in the guestbook functionality of the SiteStudio platform, specifically within the handling of user input through the name field parameter. The vulnerability impacts two distinct deployment scenarios: the standalone version utilizing psoft.guestbook.GuestBookServ component and the integrated version operating with E-Guest_sign.pl script within the H-Sphere environment. The flaw demonstrates the dangerous potential for remote code execution through web script injection, creating a significant security risk for web applications that rely on user-generated content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the guestbook component. When users submit entries through the name field, the application fails to properly escape or filter special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This insufficient sanitization creates an opening for malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content that will execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability specifically targets the guestbook functionality where user inputs are directly rendered back to the web page without proper security measures. According to CWE classification, this represents a CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security that enables XSS attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it creates persistent security risks for web applications utilizing SiteStudio 1.6. Attackers can exploit this weakness to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, inject malware, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability affects both standalone and integrated deployments, indicating a systemic issue within the SiteStudio framework that requires comprehensive remediation across all affected installations. The persistence of this vulnerability in widely deployed web application frameworks suggests that it may have been exploited in the wild, potentially compromising user data and application integrity.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-1605 must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement proper input validation and output encoding techniques to neutralize potentially dangerous characters in user-submitted data. The solution requires comprehensive sanitization of all user inputs, particularly those that will be rendered back to web pages. Security measures should include implementing Content Security Policy headers, using proper HTML escaping functions, and ensuring that all user-generated content is properly validated before storage or display. According to ATT&CK framework methodology, this vulnerability aligns with T1059.007: Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, as attackers can leverage the XSS flaw to execute malicious javascript code within victim browsers. The remediation process should also include updating to patched versions of SiteStudio 1.6, implementing web application firewalls, and conducting thorough security testing of all input handling components to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future deployments.