CVE-2005-4374 in Allinta
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Allinta 2.3.2 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) s parameter to faq.asp and (2) searchQuery parameter to search.asp.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-4374 represents a critical security flaw in Allinta versions 2.3.2 and earlier that exposes the application to multiple cross-site scripting attacks. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security weaknesses identified by the CWE project. The vulnerability specifically affects two distinct endpoints within the Allinta application, creating multiple attack vectors for malicious actors seeking to exploit the system. The first vulnerable parameter is the 's' parameter in the faq.asp file, while the second vulnerable parameter is the 'searchQuery' parameter in the search.asp file, both of which fail to properly sanitize user input before processing.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Allinta application's web interface. When users submit data through these parameters, the application does not perform sufficient sanitization or encoding of the input before incorporating it into the web page response. This allows attackers to inject malicious scripts or HTML content that gets executed in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects core functionality pages such as the FAQ and search features, which are commonly accessed by users and therefore provide multiple opportunities for exploitation. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that, when executed, could steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited by attackers to compromise user sessions and potentially gain deeper access to the application. The vulnerability enables attackers to execute malicious code in the context of the victim's browser, which can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, and other sophisticated attacks that leverage the trust relationship between the user and the application. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability provides a straightforward path to compromise user sessions and could be leveraged as part of a broader attack strategy. The fact that the vulnerability affects both FAQ and search functionality means that the attack surface is relatively broad, as these are typically high-traffic areas of web applications that are frequently accessed by legitimate users.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-facing parameters. The most effective approach involves implementing strict input validation that filters out or encodes potentially dangerous characters and content before processing user input. Additionally, output encoding should be implemented to ensure that any user-supplied data that is rendered in the web page context is properly escaped to prevent script execution. Security practitioners should also consider implementing a Content Security Policy (CSP) to add an additional layer of protection against script injection attacks. This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of following secure coding practices and demonstrates how simple input validation failures can lead to severe security consequences. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security testing to identify similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in production environments. The remediation efforts should include comprehensive code reviews and security testing of all web application components, particularly those handling user input.