CVE-2005-2416 in Contrexx
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Contrexx before 1.0.5 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) term parameter to the search module or (2) title in the blog aggregation module.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/10/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-2416 represents a critical security flaw in Contrexx content management systems prior to version 1.0.5, specifically manifesting as multiple cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that enable remote attackers to execute malicious code within the context of affected user browsers. This vulnerability resides in the application's input validation mechanisms, where user-supplied data is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to users. The flaw affects two distinct modules within the Contrexx platform, demonstrating the widespread nature of the insecure coding practices that permitted such vulnerabilities to exist in the core application logic.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through two primary attack vectors that exploit the application's failure to properly escape or filter user input. The first vector involves the term parameter within the search module, where an attacker can craft malicious input that, when processed and displayed, executes arbitrary JavaScript code in the victim's browser. The second vector targets the title field within the blog aggregation module, where similar injection techniques can be employed to compromise user sessions and execute unauthorized commands. Both attack paths demonstrate the classic characteristics of reflected cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, where malicious payloads are reflected back to users through the application's response mechanism.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations utilizing Contrexx platforms, as it enables attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, and potentially escalate privileges within the application environment. The impact extends beyond simple data theft, as attackers can leverage these vulnerabilities to manipulate content, redirect users to malicious websites, or establish persistent backdoors within the affected systems. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from anywhere on the internet without requiring local system access or privileged credentials, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that serve a broad user base.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices that should prevent untrusted data from being executed as code. From an adversary perspective, this vulnerability maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for social engineering and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied data, particularly in search and content aggregation modules. The recommended remediation involves upgrading to Contrexx version 1.0.5 or later, which includes proper sanitization of input parameters and implementation of proper HTML escaping mechanisms. Additionally, organizations should deploy web application firewalls and implement content security policies to provide defense-in-depth against similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other application components.