CVE-2005-3283 in TikiWiki
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in TikiWiki before 1.9.1.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/11/2019
The CVE-2005-3283 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in TikiWiki versions prior to 1.9.1.1, exposing web applications to persistent security threats that can compromise user sessions and data integrity. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that enables attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability's presence in TikiWiki's core functionality indicates a failure in proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms that should protect against malicious code injection attempts.
The technical exploitation of this XSS vulnerability occurs through unknown vectors that likely involve the manipulation of user input fields, form parameters, or URL query strings within the TikiWiki application. Attackers can leverage this weakness to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content that executes in the context of other users' browsers when they access compromised pages. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable session hijacking, credential theft, and the redirection of users to malicious websites. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that TikiWiki is a comprehensive content management system that often handles sensitive user information and collaborative data.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-3283 in affected TikiWiki installations can be severe, particularly in environments where the platform serves as a collaborative workspace or contains confidential information. When exploited, this vulnerability allows attackers to execute malicious code in the browser context of authenticated users, potentially leading to complete compromise of user accounts and unauthorized access to sensitive data. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions indicates a systemic weakness in the application's security architecture, suggesting that developers may have failed to implement proper sanitization and encoding controls for user-generated content. This flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Initial Access through malicious web content, demonstrating how a single vulnerability can serve as a gateway for broader compromise.
Organizations utilizing vulnerable TikiWiki versions should prioritize immediate remediation through the application of the official patch released in version 1.9.1.1, which addresses the underlying input validation issues. Security teams should implement additional protective measures including web application firewalls, content security policies, and regular security assessments to detect and prevent similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing comprehensive security testing procedures including dynamic application security testing and manual code reviews. Organizations should also consider implementing proper input validation frameworks and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar XSS vulnerabilities in other applications, as this weakness represents a common pattern in web application security flaws that can be mitigated through proper security development practices and adherence to secure coding standards.