CVE-2005-4136 in DRZES HMS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in login.php in DRZES HMS 3.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the customerEmailAddress parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4136 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the DRZES HMS 3.2 web application's authentication module. This security weakness specifically affects the login.php script where user input validation is insufficient, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability manifests through the customerEmailAddress parameter, which serves as the primary injection vector for attacker-controlled content. This particular implementation flaw demonstrates a fundamental failure in input sanitization and output encoding practices that are essential for preventing XSS attacks in web applications.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it squarely within the scope of CWE-79, which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where web applications fail to properly validate or encode user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic content. The flaw occurs at the point of user input processing where the customerEmailAddress parameter is directly accepted without proper sanitization measures. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious payloads containing HTML tags or JavaScript code that gets executed when other users view the affected page or interact with the application. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors do not require physical access to the system or any special privileges to exploit this vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users interact with the web application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it can enable more sophisticated attacks within the application's context. When attackers successfully inject malicious scripts through the customerEmailAddress parameter, they can potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, deface the application interface, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. This represents a significant risk to user privacy and application integrity, particularly in healthcare environments where DRZES HMS is typically deployed. The vulnerability could allow unauthorized access to sensitive patient information or medical records, potentially violating healthcare privacy regulations such as HIPAA requirements for data protection. The attack surface is broad as any user interacting with the login functionality could become a victim of this XSS exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-4136 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user inputs including the customerEmailAddress parameter through proper encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding before any output is generated. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded within the application. The application should also employ proper parameter validation to reject or sanitize any input containing potentially dangerous characters or script tags. From a defensive perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Scripting and T1566.001 for Phishing, as it enables attackers to establish persistent access through malicious script injection. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security code reviews to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other application components, ensuring comprehensive protection against similar cross-site scripting threats in the healthcare information management system.