CVE-2005-4222 in Guestserver
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in guestbook.cgi in Lars Ellingsen Guestserver 4.13 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified message fields.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/14/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4222 represents a critical security flaw in the Lars Ellingsen Guestserver 4.13 and earlier versions, specifically within the guestbook.cgi component. This issue manifests as multiple cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that enable remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML code into message fields. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the guestbook application, creating an avenue for attackers to execute malicious code in the context of users' browsers who interact with the compromised guestbook entries.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes cross-site scripting flaws that occur when untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding. The flaw exists in the guestbook.cgi script where user-supplied input from message fields is not adequately sanitized before being rendered back to users. This allows attackers to embed malicious scripts that execute in the victim's browser when they view the compromised guestbook entries, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or other malicious activities. The unspecified nature of the message fields suggests that multiple input vectors within the guestbook functionality are susceptible to this attack pattern.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-4222 extends beyond simple data corruption, as it provides attackers with persistent access to users' browser sessions and potentially sensitive information. When victims view infected guestbook entries, their browsers execute the injected scripts, which can perform actions such as stealing cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or modifying the guestbook content in ways that compromise the application's integrity. This vulnerability particularly affects web applications that rely on user-generated content, as it demonstrates how seemingly benign features can become attack vectors when proper security controls are absent. The persistence of the vulnerability in versions up to 4.13 indicates a fundamental flaw in the application's security architecture that was not addressed in the affected releases.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-4222 should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the guestbook application. Organizations should immediately upgrade to versions of Guestserver that address this vulnerability, as the affected versions represent an outdated security posture. The recommended approach includes implementing strict input filtering to reject or escape potentially malicious characters, employing context-specific output encoding for all user-generated content, and establishing proper content security policies. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving web application attacks and session management compromise, emphasizing the need for defensive measures that prevent code execution in user contexts. Additionally, regular security assessments and input validation testing should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other application components.