CVE-2005-3406 in phpESP
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in phpESP 1.7.5 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-3406 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within phpESP version 1.7.5 and earlier releases. This vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security that allows malicious actors to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The phpESP application, which is a web-based event scheduling and management system, fails to properly sanitize user input before rendering it in web responses, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected users' browsers.
The technical nature of this XSS vulnerability stems from the application's insufficient validation and sanitization of input parameters that are processed and displayed within web pages. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input that contains script tags or other HTML elements that will be executed when the vulnerable page is rendered in a victim's browser. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability may exist across multiple input points within the application, making it particularly dangerous as attackers can potentially target various entry points to achieve their objectives. This type of vulnerability is classified as a reflected XSS attack when the malicious script is reflected off the web server in response to a request, or as a stored XSS if the malicious input is permanently stored and then executed when other users view the affected content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of web pages, and redirection to malicious sites. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can manipulate the behavior of the web application and potentially gain unauthorized access to user sessions or sensitive information. The vulnerability affects all users of the affected phpESP versions, creating a widespread security risk that could compromise the integrity of the entire application. Given that the vulnerability exists in the core input handling mechanisms, it could potentially allow attackers to bypass authentication controls or escalate privileges within the application's functionality, making it a particularly concerning weakness in the security posture of organizations using this software.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action to address the root cause through proper input sanitization and output encoding practices. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation that filters and escapes all user-supplied data before it is processed or displayed in web pages, following the principle of least privilege and defense in depth. The recommended approach includes implementing proper HTML encoding of output data, using Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution, and ensuring that all user input is validated against a strict whitelist of acceptable characters and formats. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns, and should conduct regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications. The remediation process should involve upgrading to a patched version of phpESP, as the vulnerability was addressed in subsequent releases through improved input sanitization and validation mechanisms. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of adhering to secure coding practices and following security guidelines such as those provided by the Open Web Application Security Project OWASP, which recommends implementing proper input validation and output encoding as fundamental defenses against XSS attacks. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under the T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution tactic, emphasizing the need for robust client-side security measures and comprehensive application security testing to prevent such exploitation scenarios from occurring in production environments.