CVE-2005-3285 in Comersus BackOffice Plus
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in comersus_backoffice_searchItemForm.asp in Comersus BackOffice Plus allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) forwardTo1, (2) forwardTo2, (3) nameFT1, or (4) nameFT2 parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-3285 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Comersus BackOffice Plus web application, specifically affecting the comersus_backoffice_searchItemForm.asp component. This security weakness exposes the application to malicious injection attacks that can compromise user sessions and potentially lead to unauthorized access or data manipulation. The vulnerability resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input parameters within the search functionality of the back office interface, making it particularly dangerous for administrators who regularly interact with this component. The flaw affects four specific parameters: forwardTo1, forwardTo2, nameFT1, and nameFT2, all of which are processed without adequate input validation or output encoding mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers provide malicious script code through any of the four vulnerable parameters during the search form submission process. When the application processes these parameters and displays them in the web interface without proper sanitization, the injected scripts execute in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected pages. This creates a persistent threat where attackers can craft malicious payloads that will be executed whenever legitimate users access the affected search results or forms. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing a stored XSS variant where the malicious content is stored on the server and executed against multiple users. The attack vector operates through the standard web application request processing flow, making it accessible to attackers with minimal technical expertise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive administrative credentials, or manipulate the application's functionality. Administrators who access the vulnerable search forms become targets for malicious script execution, which could lead to complete system compromise if attackers can leverage the elevated privileges associated with administrative accounts. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the application's data, as well as its availability since attackers could potentially disrupt normal operations through malicious script execution. Additionally, the presence of this vulnerability in a back office application creates a direct pathway for attackers to gain deeper access to the system's administrative functions, potentially leading to complete system takeover. The risk is amplified by the fact that this vulnerability affects parameters used in search functionality, which are commonly accessed by administrators performing routine operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-3285 must focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's processing pipeline. The primary remediation involves sanitizing all user-supplied input parameters before they are processed or displayed, particularly for the four vulnerable parameters identified in the affected component. Organizations should implement proper HTML encoding for all dynamic content displayed in web interfaces, ensuring that special characters are properly escaped to prevent script execution. The application should also enforce strict parameter validation that rejects or sanitizes potentially malicious input patterns, including common XSS attack vectors such as script tags, javascript protocols, and event handlers. Security headers including Content Security Policy should be implemented to further protect against script injection attacks. Regular security testing and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components, as this type of flaw often indicates broader input validation issues within the application architecture. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of applying the principle of least privilege and ensuring that administrative interfaces implement comprehensive security measures to prevent exploitation of input validation weaknesses.