CVE-2005-1799 in WikiLite
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in FreeStyle Wiki 3.5.7 and WikiLite (FSWikiLite) .10 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1799 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting FreeStyle Wiki version 3.5.7 and WikiLite version .10. This security weakness resides in the web application's input validation mechanisms, specifically within how user-supplied data is processed and rendered back to clients. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of a victim's browser session, potentially leading to unauthorized actions or data theft. The affected software products are widely used for collaborative content management and wiki implementations, making this flaw particularly concerning for organizations relying on these platforms for information sharing and documentation.
The technical nature of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user input parameters that are subsequently displayed in web pages without proper encoding or filtering. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that exploit this weakness through various attack vectors including but not limited to form submissions, URL parameters, or even comment fields within the wiki interface. The vulnerability's classification as a persistent XSS issue means that malicious scripts can be stored on the server and executed whenever other users access the affected pages, creating a continuous threat vector. According to CWE guidelines, this vulnerability maps to CWE-79 which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation, a fundamental weakness in web application security architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious sites. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain access to privileged wiki content, modify or delete documents, and potentially escalate privileges within the wiki environment. The distributed nature of wiki platforms means that a single compromised page could affect multiple users simultaneously, creating a scalable attack surface. Organizations utilizing these platforms face potential data breaches, unauthorized content modification, and reputational damage. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users may not be security-aware.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should encompass multiple layers of defense including immediate patching of affected software versions, implementation of robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and deployment of web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of all wiki implementations and related web applications to identify similar weaknesses. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by restricting user permissions and implementing proper access controls within wiki environments. Additionally, regular security training for end users and administrators can help reduce the risk of successful exploitation through social engineering attacks. Organizations should also implement proper monitoring and logging of wiki activities to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for social engineering and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, highlighting the multi-faceted nature of the threat landscape surrounding web application vulnerabilities.