CVE-2005-3479 in CaseBook
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in login.asp in Ringtail CaseBook 6.1.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the users parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-3479 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Ringtail CaseBook 6.1.0 web application, specifically affecting the login.asp component. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security weaknesses. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user input received through the users parameter, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the insecure handling of HTTP parameters in the authentication flow of the CaseBook application. When users navigate to the login page and submit credentials through the users parameter, the application processes this input without adequate sanitization measures. This allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that, when executed, can perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability specifically targets the login.asp page, which serves as the primary entry point for user authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it can potentially compromise the entire authentication mechanism.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal user credentials, and manipulate application functionality. An attacker could inject malicious scripts that redirect users to phishing sites, steal session cookies, or even modify the application's behavior to gain unauthorized access to sensitive case data. The vulnerability affects all users of the Ringtail CaseBook 6.1.0 system, making it a significant threat to organizations handling confidential legal or forensic data. This weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through spearphishing and T1531 for manipulation of web applications, demonstrating how such vulnerabilities can be leveraged for broader attack objectives.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate code-level issues and broader security practices within the organization. The primary remediation involves implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application, particularly in the login.asp component. All user-supplied input should be rigorously validated against a whitelist of acceptable characters and patterns, while any data displayed to users should be properly encoded to prevent script execution. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities and consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. Additionally, regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components, as this type of flaw often indicates broader security gaps in the application architecture. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input sanitization practices and adheres to the principle of least privilege in web application security, where all user inputs should be treated as potentially malicious until proven otherwise.