CVE-2005-2588 in DVBBS
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in DVBBS 7.1 SP2 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the page parameter to dispbbs.asp, (2) name parameter to dispuser.asp, or the (3) title, (4) view, or (5) act parameter to boardhelp.asp.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/27/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-2588 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting DVBBS 7.1 SP2 and earlier versions of this bulletin board system. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting and specifically manifests as a reflected XSS attack vector that can be exploited by remote attackers without requiring any authentication or privileged access. The affected applications include multiple ASP scripts within the DVBBS platform that fail to properly validate or sanitize user input parameters before rendering them in web responses.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through three distinct attack vectors within the DVBBS application. The first vector targets the page parameter in dispbbs.asp, where user-supplied input is directly incorporated into the web page output without adequate sanitization. The second vector exploits the name parameter in dispuser.asp, while the third vector encompasses multiple parameters in boardhelp.asp including title, view, and act parameters. These vulnerabilities are particularly concerning because they affect core functionality components of the bulletin board system that handle user-generated content and display operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it allows attackers to potentially steal user sessions, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of victims, or redirect users to malicious websites. Attackers can craft specially formatted URLs that, when clicked by unsuspecting users, execute malicious JavaScript code within the victim's browser context. This creates a persistent threat where users who visit affected pages become unwitting participants in the attack, potentially leading to credential theft, data exfiltration, or further exploitation of the compromised systems.
From a security framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Phishing and T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it enables attackers to deliver malicious payloads through web-based vectors. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices and highlights the importance of implementing proper output encoding and sanitization mechanisms. Organizations running DVBBS systems should immediately implement patches or apply input validation controls to prevent user-supplied data from being executed as web content. The recommended mitigation strategies include implementing strict parameter validation, applying output encoding to all user-controllable data, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and prevent exploitation attempts.
This vulnerability represents a classic example of how legacy web applications often lack proper security controls that modern development practices would mandate. The absence of input sanitization in these ASP scripts demonstrates the critical importance of security-by-design principles and the need for regular security assessments of deployed web applications. The exploitation of such vulnerabilities can lead to complete compromise of user sessions and potentially provide attackers with access to sensitive information stored within the bulletin board system. Organizations should prioritize updating to patched versions of DVBBS and implement comprehensive security monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts.