CVE-2005-4262 in Envolution
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the News module in Envolution allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) startrow and (2) catid parameter. NOTE: this issue might be resultant from the SQL injection problem (CVE-2005-4263).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/31/2025
The CVE-2005-4262 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness discovered in the News module of the Envolution content management system. This vulnerability specifically affects the handling of user-supplied input parameters within the web application's interface, creating a significant security risk for organizations utilizing this platform. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize or validate input data passed through the startrow and catid parameters, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code into the application's response. The vulnerability's classification as a persistent XSS issue means that the malicious code can be executed in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of victims. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principles of secure input validation and output encoding that are fundamental to preventing client-side attacks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of specific URL parameters that the News module processes without adequate sanitization measures. When a user accesses a page with maliciously crafted startrow or catid values, the application incorporates this unvalidated input directly into the HTML response without proper encoding or filtering. This allows attackers to embed JavaScript code or HTML elements that execute in the victim's browser context. The vulnerability's relationship to CVE-2005-4263, which represents a SQL injection issue within the same module, indicates a broader pattern of inadequate input validation and sanitization practices throughout the application's codebase. Both vulnerabilities stem from the same root cause of insufficient parameter validation, suggesting that the development team failed to implement proper security controls for user input handling. This weakness aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in web applications, and reflects poor adherence to secure coding practices that should prevent the injection of untrusted data into web responses.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption or unauthorized access, potentially enabling attackers to perform sophisticated social engineering attacks against users of the affected platform. When successful, the XSS exploit can lead to session fixation, where attackers can hijack user sessions and impersonate legitimate users to perform unauthorized actions. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for credential theft through the capture of login information or other sensitive data entered by users. Additionally, the malicious scripts could be designed to redirect users to phishing sites, install malware on victim systems, or manipulate the application's functionality to display misleading content. Organizations running affected versions of Envolution could face significant reputational damage, regulatory compliance issues, and potential legal consequences if user data is compromised through exploitation of this vulnerability. The interconnected nature of this vulnerability with the SQL injection issue suggests that attackers might be able to combine both exploits to achieve more comprehensive system compromise, potentially leading to full database access or privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-4262 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. Organizations must ensure that all user-supplied input parameters, particularly those used in dynamic content generation, are properly sanitized before being processed or displayed. This includes implementing strict validation rules that reject or escape potentially dangerous characters and sequences, such as angle brackets, script tags, and various encoding patterns that could be used to bypass security controls. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded and executed. Organizations should also consider implementing proper parameter validation and input filtering at multiple layers of the application architecture, including both client-side and server-side controls. The vulnerability's relationship to CVE-2005-4263 emphasizes the importance of addressing all related security issues simultaneously, as the presence of multiple vulnerabilities in the same module indicates a systemic problem that requires comprehensive code review and security hardening. Regular security assessments, including penetration testing and code reviews, should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues throughout the application lifecycle, following security frameworks such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines.