CVE-2005-1782 in BookReview
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in BookReview beta 1.0 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the node parameter to (1) add_review.htm, (2) suggest_review.htm, (3) suggest_category.htm, (4) add_booklist.htm, or (5) add_url.htm, the isbn parameter to (6) add_review.htm, (7) add_contents.htm, (8) add_classification.htm, the (9) chapters parameter to the add_contents page in index.php (aka add_contents.htm), (10) the user parameter to contact.htm, or (11) the submit[string] parameter to search.htm. NOTE: it is not clear whether BookReview is available to the public. If not, then it should not be included in CVE.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/28/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-1782 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting BookReview beta 1.0, a web-based content management system designed for reviewing books and managing bibliographic data. This vulnerability manifests across multiple entry points within the application's web interface, creating numerous attack vectors that could potentially allow malicious actors to execute arbitrary code within the context of a victim's browser session. The flaw specifically resides in the application's insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms, which fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages. The affected parameters span various functional areas of the application including review submission, book listing management, content organization, and user communication features, indicating a systemic issue in the application's security architecture rather than isolated component failures.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows the standard XSS attack pattern where an attacker crafts malicious input containing script code within the vulnerable parameters and submits it through the affected web forms. When the application processes these parameters without proper sanitization, the injected script code becomes part of the HTML response sent to the victim's browser, which then executes the malicious payload in the context of the victim's session. The vulnerability affects both reflected and stored XSS scenarios, depending on how the application processes and stores the malicious input. According to CWE classification, this represents a CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental web application security weakness that has been consistently identified as one of the top ten web application security risks by OWASP. The attack surfaces are particularly concerning given that they encompass core user interaction points including review submission forms, content management interfaces, and search functionality, providing attackers with multiple opportunities to compromise user sessions and potentially escalate privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, redirect victims to malicious sites, or even modify application data if the attacker can gain sufficient privileges. The fact that multiple parameters across different pages are vulnerable suggests that an attacker could potentially compromise the entire user base of the application through a single exploitation attempt. The lack of public availability confirmation for BookReview beta 1.0 raises questions about the actual threat surface, but the vulnerability remains significant regardless of deployment scope. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1566: Phishing and T1059: Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it enables attackers to deliver malicious payloads through web-based vectors and execute code in user browsers. The vulnerability's presence in search functionality (submit[string] parameter) particularly amplifies its impact, as search queries are often frequently accessed and may be indexed by search engines, potentially leading to widespread propagation of the malicious content.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding across all user-supplied parameters. The application should employ strict whitelisting approaches for all input data, ensuring that only expected character sets and formats are accepted. Additionally, proper HTML encoding and context-appropriate output sanitization must be implemented for all dynamic content generation, particularly when incorporating user data into web pages. The application should also implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. Regular security code reviews and automated input validation testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other components. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by ensuring that user inputs are properly sanitized before being stored in databases or rendered in web pages, and that the application follows secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices. Given the nature of the vulnerability, it is essential to conduct thorough penetration testing and vulnerability assessments to ensure that all potential injection points have been addressed and that the application maintains robust security posture against similar threats.