CVE-2005-3037 in Handy Address Book Server
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Handy Address Book Server 1.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the SEARCHTEXT parameter in a demos URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-3037 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Handy Address Book Server version 1.1 web application. This security weakness resides in the application's handling of user input through the SEARCHTEXT parameter within the demos URL structure, creating an exploitable condition that enables remote attackers to execute malicious code within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic web content.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input containing script code within the SEARCHTEXT parameter of the demos URL. When the vulnerable application processes this input without adequate sanitization, it directly embeds the malicious payload into the web page response. This allows the attacker to inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code that executes in the victim's browser when they view the affected page. The flaw specifically manifests in the server-side processing logic that does not properly escape or validate special characters in the search text parameter, enabling attackers to inject script tags or other malicious content that gets rendered as part of the web page.
From an operational impact perspective, this XSS vulnerability creates significant security risks for users of the Handy Address Book Server application. Attackers can leverage this weakness to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious websites, or harvest sensitive information from the application's interface. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require any local access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that handle user data. This vulnerability essentially compromises the integrity of the web application's user interface and can lead to complete session hijacking or data exfiltration scenarios.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting as a critical weakness in web applications, specifically addressing the improper handling of untrusted data in web applications. This weakness typically maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which covers social engineering through spearphishing, as attackers can use XSS vulnerabilities to deliver malicious payloads that appear legitimate to users. Organizations using this vulnerable software face potential compromise of user data, unauthorized access to address book information, and possible escalation of privileges within the application's context. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that the vulnerability exists in a web-based address book application that likely contains sensitive personal and business contact information.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. Developers should ensure that all user-supplied input is properly sanitized and that special characters are escaped before being rendered in web pages. The recommended approach includes implementing context-aware output encoding for different data contexts such as HTML, JavaScript, and URL contexts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing a Content Security Policy to limit the execution of inline scripts and prevent the execution of malicious payloads even if input validation is bypassed. Regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and static code analysis should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to a patched version of the Handy Address Book Server or migrating to a more secure, modern address book solution that properly implements security best practices for handling user input and preventing XSS attacks.