CVE-2005-4036 in KeyWord Frequency Counter
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.cgi in Web4Future KeyWord Frequency Counter 1.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the "remote URL."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/27/2017
The CVE-2005-4036 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw in the Web4Future KeyWord Frequency Counter version 1.0 application. This vulnerability exists within the index.cgi script which processes user input without proper sanitization or validation. The specific weakness occurs when the application accepts a "remote URL" parameter that is then incorporated into the web page output without adequate encoding or filtering mechanisms. This creates an environment where malicious actors can inject arbitrary JavaScript code or HTML content that executes in the context of other users' browsers who visit the affected page.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly handle user-supplied input through the remote URL parameter. When the application processes this input and displays it within the web interface, it does not perform appropriate output encoding or validation to prevent malicious code execution. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper sanitization. The vulnerability is classified as a remote attack vector since an attacker can exploit it from any location without requiring local system access or authentication.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary code in the browsers of unsuspecting users who visit pages containing the malicious input. The consequences can range from session hijacking and credential theft to more sophisticated attacks such as redirecting users to malicious sites or defacing the affected web application. The vulnerability particularly affects users who interact with the keyword frequency counter functionality, as any page that processes or displays the remote URL parameter becomes a potential attack vector. This creates a persistent threat that can affect multiple users over time, especially if the vulnerable application is widely used or if the malicious content is embedded in legitimate-looking pages.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to initial access and execution phases. Attackers can leverage this weakness to establish a foothold within a target environment by injecting malicious scripts that can harvest user data or redirect traffic. The vulnerability's persistence and remote nature make it particularly dangerous for web applications that serve multiple users, as a single compromised input can affect numerous individuals. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent such vulnerabilities from being exploited in real-world scenarios. The recommended mitigation strategies include implementing strict input validation for all user-supplied data, applying proper HTML encoding to output content, and conducting regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in web applications.