CVE-2005-4396 in iCMS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in admin/Default.asp in iCMS allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the LoginMSG parameter. NOTE: the provenance of this issue is unknown; the details were obtained solely from third party sources.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4396 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the iCMS content management system, specifically affecting the admin/Default.asp component. This issue arises from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly handle user-supplied data. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it occurs within the administrative interface of the system, potentially allowing malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code in the context of authenticated admin sessions. The LoginMSG parameter serves as the attack vector, where unfiltered user input is directly embedded into the web page response without appropriate encoding or validation measures.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows standard XSS attack patterns where an attacker crafts malicious input containing script tags or other HTML elements that get executed in the victim's browser. The flaw stems from the application's failure to implement proper input sanitization techniques, allowing attackers to inject malicious payloads that can persist in the system's administrative interface. This particular vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities, where the weakness occurs in the web application's output handling rather than input validation. The attack scenario typically involves an attacker sending a specially crafted request containing malicious script code within the LoginMSG parameter, which then gets rendered in the admin interface, potentially compromising the administrative session.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges, steal session cookies, perform unauthorized administrative actions, or even redirect users to malicious sites. When an administrator interacts with the compromised system, any malicious code injected through the LoginMSG parameter executes in the context of their privileged session, creating significant security risks. The vulnerability's exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, data theft, or unauthorized modifications to the content management system's configuration. The attack surface is particularly broad since the administrative interface typically has elevated privileges and access to sensitive system functions. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which covers command and scripting interpreter, as the malicious scripts can be used to execute arbitrary commands or establish persistent access to the compromised system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-4396 must focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user-supplied input, particularly parameters like LoginMSG, through proper encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding or context-appropriate escaping. The system should implement a whitelist-based input validation approach where only known good characters and patterns are accepted, rather than attempting to filter out malicious content. Additionally, implementing proper content security policies can help prevent the execution of unauthorized scripts even if the vulnerability is exploited. Regular security code reviews and input/output sanitization testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of the principle of least privilege and proper input validation in web application security, as it allows attackers to leverage administrative interfaces for unauthorized access and operations. Organizations should also implement monitoring and logging mechanisms to detect suspicious activities that might indicate exploitation attempts.