CVE-2005-2901 in CjWeb2Mail
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in CjWeb2Mail 3.0 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) name, (2) message, or (3) ip parameter to thankyou.php or (4) emsg parameter to web2mail.php.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/11/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-2901 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within CjWeb2Mail version 3.0, a web-based email management system that was widely deployed in enterprise environments during the mid-2000s. This vulnerability resides in the input validation mechanisms of two key PHP scripts that handle user interactions and form submissions. The flaw specifically affects the thankyou.php script where the name, message, and ip parameters are processed without proper sanitization, and the web2mail.php script where the emsg parameter is similarly vulnerable to malicious input injection. These scripts form the core of user communication within the application, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through normal user interaction flows.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before rendering it within web pages. When users submit forms containing malicious payloads through any of the affected parameters, the application processes these inputs directly without adequate sanitization measures. This creates an environment where attackers can inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as "Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')", which specifically addresses the failure to sanitize user inputs that are subsequently rendered in web contexts. The attack vector is particularly insidious because it requires no special privileges or authentication, making it accessible to any remote attacker who can trigger the vulnerable scripts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data theft or defacement. When exploited, the XSS flaws enable attackers to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, manipulate web content, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the affected systems. Users who interact with the vulnerable application may unknowingly execute malicious scripts that can capture their credentials, redirect them to phishing sites, or perform actions on their behalf. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the web application, potentially leading to complete system compromise. In enterprise environments where CjWeb2Mail was deployed, this could result in unauthorized access to business communications, exposure of sensitive data, and disruption of critical email services. The attack surface is broad as any user interaction with the vulnerable parameters could be exploited, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where the application serves as a communication platform.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The recommended approach involves implementing comprehensive parameter sanitization using established security libraries and frameworks that can properly escape special characters before rendering user input in web contexts. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of inline scripts and establish proper input validation routines that filter out potentially malicious content. The fix should include encoding user-supplied data using appropriate HTML entity encoding functions before displaying it in web pages, which directly addresses the CWE-79 classification. Additionally, regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in legacy applications, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation in preventing web-based attacks. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript' and T1566 for 'Phishing', highlighting the operational security implications of such flaws in modern threat landscapes.