CVE-2005-4236 in Ckgold Shopping Cart
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in search.php in CKGOLD allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the search parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/04/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4236 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw located within the search.php component of the CKGOLD application. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of injection attacks that exploit improper input validation and sanitization mechanisms within web applications. The specific implementation flaw allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary web script or HTML code through search parameters, creating a persistent security risk that can compromise user sessions and data integrity. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the application's handling of user-supplied input, where data flows directly from the search interface into the application's response without adequate sanitization or encoding.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input containing script tags or other HTML content within the search parameters. When the application processes these parameters in search.php, it fails to properly escape or encode the input before rendering it in the web response. This creates an environment where the injected code executes within the context of other users' browsers, enabling various attack vectors including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. The vulnerability is classified as a reflected XSS issue since the malicious payload is immediately reflected back to users without being stored on the server. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be easily exploited through social engineering techniques, where attackers trick users into clicking malicious links containing the crafted payloads.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft to encompass significant business and security risks. Users who interact with the affected application may unknowingly execute malicious code that can redirect them to phishing sites, steal cookies and session tokens, or even install malware on their systems. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the application by potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive information and disrupting normal user operations. Attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistent access to user accounts, manipulate application behavior, and potentially use the compromised system as a launching point for further attacks within the network. The impact is particularly severe given that CKGOLD applications are likely used in contexts where sensitive data processing occurs, making the potential for data breaches and unauthorized access especially concerning.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-4236 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The primary remediation involves ensuring that all user-supplied input, particularly parameters used in search functionality, undergo proper sanitization before being processed or rendered in web responses. This includes implementing proper HTML encoding of output data, utilizing content security policies to restrict script execution, and employing input validation frameworks that reject potentially malicious content. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious patterns in search parameters, while conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege and secure coding practices. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving command and control communications, credential access, and privilege escalation through web application exploitation, making it a critical target for defensive measures and security hardening initiatives.