CVE-2005-4858 in Mimicboard 2
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in mimic2.cgi in mimicboard2 (Mimic2) 086 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified parameters associated with the (1) name, (2) title, and (3) comment sections, as demonstrated by referencing a remote document through the SRC attribute of an IFRAME element.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/06/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4858 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in mimicboard2 version 086 and earlier, specifically within the mimic2.cgi component. This weakness falls under the category of CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental web application security issue that allows malicious actors to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the mimicboard2 forum software, which is designed for creating and managing online discussion boards, making it particularly dangerous in collaborative environments where users frequently post content.
The technical flaw manifests through three distinct attack vectors that correspond to the name, title, and comment sections of the application's posting functionality. Attackers can exploit these parameters by injecting malicious script code that gets executed when other users view the affected content. The demonstration of this vulnerability shows how an attacker can leverage the SRC attribute of an IFRAME element to reference a remote document, creating a sophisticated attack scenario where malicious content is loaded from an external source. This approach allows attackers to bypass simple input validation measures and can potentially be used to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-4858 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to compromise the entire user session and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. When users visit pages containing malicious code injected through these XSS vulnerabilities, their browsers execute the embedded scripts, which can lead to various malicious activities including credential theft, defacement of forum content, or redirection to phishing sites. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects core posting functionality, meaning that any user who posts content through the affected sections could inadvertently become a vector for attack propagation throughout the forum community.
Security mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of proper input sanitization and output encoding techniques, which align with the recommendations found in the OWASP Top Ten project and the ATT&CK framework's T1203 Exploitation for Credential Access. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to restrict the sources from which scripts can be loaded, and all user inputs should undergo rigorous validation and sanitization before being processed or displayed. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of regular security updates and patch management, as this issue was resolved in later versions of the mimicboard2 software. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and monitoring user-generated content can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts, while regular security testing including penetration testing and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications within the organization's infrastructure.