CVE-2005-3516 in Chipmunk Directory
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in recommend.php in Chipmunk Directory script allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the entryID parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-3516 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Chipmunk Directory script's recommend.php component. This issue manifests when the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user input received through the entryID parameter, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability resides in the server-side processing logic that directly incorporates user-supplied data into dynamically generated web content without adequate sanitization measures.
From a technical perspective, the flaw operates as a reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability where the entryID parameter serves as the primary attack vector. When a user submits a request containing malicious script code within the entryID field, the recommend.php script processes this input and subsequently includes it in the HTTP response without proper HTML escaping or input validation. This allows attackers to craft specially formatted URLs that, when visited by other users, execute malicious code in their browser context. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as "Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')", which specifically addresses the failure to neutralize input data before it is rendered in web pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains targeting user sessions and sensitive data. Attackers can leverage this flaw to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject persistent XSS payloads that affect all users who view the compromised directory entries. The vulnerability affects the integrity of the web application by allowing unauthorized code execution, potentially leading to complete compromise of user accounts, data exfiltration, and establishment of backdoor access points. According to ATT&CK framework category T1190, this vulnerability maps to "Exploit Public-Facing Application" techniques where attackers target web applications to gain initial access or escalate privileges.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should implement strict validation of the entryID parameter to ensure it conforms to expected formats and reject any input containing potentially dangerous characters or script tags. The recommended approach involves implementing comprehensive HTML escaping routines before rendering any user-supplied content, ensuring that special characters are properly encoded to prevent their interpretation as HTML or script elements. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. The fix should also include input length restrictions and the implementation of a whitelist-based validation approach for all parameters that receive user input, preventing attackers from injecting malicious payloads through various encoding techniques or obfuscation methods.