CVE-2005-4545 in ShopEngine
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in search.asp in NetDirect ShopEngine allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the EXPS parameter. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/05/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4545 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the NetDirect ShopEngine e-commerce platform, specifically affecting the search.asp component. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category known as "Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')", which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security weaknesses. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute unauthorized scripts within the context of other users' browsers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the EXPS parameter within the search.asp script, which serves as the injection point for malicious payloads. When an attacker crafts a specially formatted URL containing malicious script code within the EXPS parameter and convinces a victim to click the resulting link, the script executes in the victim's browser session. This occurs because the application directly incorporates the unvalidated parameter value into the web page response without proper encoding or sanitization. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it allows attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML content, potentially enabling session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks within the context of the affected e-commerce platform. Attackers can exploit this weakness to steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, deface the online store, or even escalate privileges within the application if the platform lacks proper access controls. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no special privileges or access to the system itself, relying solely on social engineering to deliver the malicious payload. This makes the vulnerability particularly attractive to attackers who can use it to compromise the entire user base of the affected online store, potentially leading to data breaches, financial losses, and reputational damage.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input before incorporating it into web page content, using proper HTML encoding techniques, and implementing Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of their web applications. This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to the principle of least privilege in web application development, as outlined in various security frameworks and standards including those referenced in the ATT&CK framework under the web application attack patterns. The remediation process should include comprehensive code review and input validation implementation across all dynamic web page generation components to prevent similar issues from occurring in other parts of the system.