CVE-2005-3795 in Affiliate Network Pro
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in AlstraSoft Affiliate Network Pro 7.2 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the Err parameter in admin/index.php and the (2) firstname and (3) lastname parameters in index.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/24/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-3795 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in AlstraSoft Affiliate Network Pro version 7.2, exposing the application to remote code execution through malicious web script injection. This vulnerability manifests across three distinct input vectors within the application's administrative and user-facing interfaces, creating multiple attack surfaces for threat actors seeking to exploit the system. The flaw specifically affects the admin/index.php file where the Err parameter can be manipulated, alongside the index.php file where both firstname and lastname parameters present injection opportunities. These vulnerabilities fall under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the application's processing logic. When the application fails to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic web page content, malicious scripts can be executed within the context of other users' browsers. The Err parameter in admin/index.php suggests that error handling mechanisms do not adequately sanitize error messages before displaying them to administrators, while the firstname and lastname parameters in index.php indicate insufficient validation of user registration or profile update inputs. This lack of proper input sanitization creates persistent XSS vulnerabilities that can be exploited by attackers to execute malicious scripts in the victim's browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or data exfiltration.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with persistent access to the application's administrative functions and user data. An attacker could leverage these vulnerabilities to inject malicious scripts that redirect users to phishing sites, steal session cookies, or modify application behavior to gain unauthorized access to affiliate network data. The presence of XSS vulnerabilities in both administrative and user-facing components creates a particularly dangerous scenario where attackers could potentially escalate privileges and compromise the entire affiliate network system. According to ATT&CK framework category T1059.007 for scripting and T1566.001 for spearphishing with malicious attachments, this vulnerability enables adversaries to establish persistent access through client-side exploitation techniques that leverage user trust and application functionality.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-3795 must address the root cause through comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The most effective approach involves implementing strict parameter validation that rejects or sanitizes all potentially malicious input before processing, combined with proper HTML encoding of all dynamic content before display. Organizations should deploy Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution, while also implementing proper session management and authentication controls to limit the impact of successful XSS attacks. The application should be updated to a patched version that addresses the specific input handling issues in the admin/index.php, index.php, and related files, as the original version 7.2 appears to lack proper security controls. Additionally, regular security testing including automated vulnerability scanning and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses that may exist in other application components, following security best practices outlined in OWASP Top 10 and NIST SP 800-53 security frameworks to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future development cycles.