CVE-2005-4294 in OpenCms
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Alkacon OpenCms before 6.0.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the username in the login page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/08/2018
The CVE-2005-4294 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in Alkacon OpenCms versions prior to 6.0.3, specifically targeting the authentication interface. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting and operates within the context of web application security where user input is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to users. The flaw manifests in the login page's username parameter handling, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' sessions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the lack of input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the OpenCms authentication framework. When a user submits a username containing malicious script code through the login form, the application fails to properly sanitize this input before processing or displaying it. This weakness enables attackers to craft specially formatted usernames that, when processed by the vulnerable system, can execute unintended client-side code in the browsers of other users who encounter the malicious input. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it targets the login page, which is frequently accessed and often viewed by legitimate users with elevated privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that compromise user sessions and potentially lead to full system compromise. An attacker could craft malicious usernames that redirect users to phishing sites, steal session cookies, or inject malware payloads that persist in the victim's browser. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where OpenCms serves as a content management platform, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive content management features and potentially escalate privileges within the system. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 for "Establishing Persistence" and T1566 for "Phishing" through the exploitation of client-side vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-4294 require immediate patching of affected OpenCms installations to version 6.0.3 or later, which includes proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization policies that enforce strict character validation and encoding of all user-supplied data, particularly in authentication contexts. The remediation process should also include regular security audits of web applications to identify similar input validation vulnerabilities and implementation of Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution. Additionally, security awareness training for administrators should emphasize the importance of keeping CMS platforms updated and monitoring for vulnerable components that could serve as attack vectors. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of validating and sanitizing all user inputs at multiple layers within web applications, particularly in authentication mechanisms where the attack surface is inherently high.