CVE-2005-3771 in Joomla
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Joomla! before 1.0.4 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) "GET and other variables" and (2) "SEF".
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/21/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-3771 represents a critical security flaw in Joomla's core framework, creating pathways for malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of legitimate user sessions. The flaw manifests through two distinct attack vectors that exploit weaknesses in how the system processes user-supplied data, making it particularly dangerous as it affects multiple points of entry within the application's architecture.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user input parameters, particularly affecting GET request variables and Search Engine Friendly URL handling mechanisms. When Joomla! processes these inputs without proper validation, it fails to escape or filter potentially malicious content that could contain script tags or other harmful code sequences. This weakness directly maps to CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a condition where a web application fails to validate or escape user-supplied data before including it in dynamically generated web pages. The vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the victim's browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the user.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, creating opportunities for sophisticated attack chains that could compromise entire web applications. Attackers leveraging these XSS flaws could steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or modify content displayed to other users. The SEF (Search Engine Friendly) vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects URL routing mechanisms that are commonly used throughout web applications, potentially allowing attackers to craft malicious URLs that bypass standard security controls. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes social engineering attacks that use malicious links or files to compromise systems, with the added dimension of persistent script execution that could maintain attacker access over extended periods.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-3771 require immediate implementation of version updates to Joomla! 1.0.4 or later, as this release contained the necessary patches to address the input validation weaknesses. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input sanitization measures, including the use of proper HTML escaping techniques and regular security audits of all user-supplied content. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that include web application firewalls and content security policies to prevent XSS attacks. Additionally, security teams should conduct regular penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in web applications and ensure that all input validation mechanisms are properly configured to prevent malicious code execution.