CVE-2007-0982 in TaskFreak
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in error.php in TaskFreak! 0.5.5 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the tznMessage 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 • 08/19/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-0982 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the TaskFreak! 0.5.5 web application, specifically affecting the error.php component. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79 which defines weaknesses related to improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as cross-site scripting. The vulnerability manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into dynamic web content, creating an attack surface where malicious actors can execute arbitrary scripts in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the tznMessage parameter within the error.php script, which serves as an entry point for attackers to inject malicious code. When the application processes this parameter without adequate input validation or output encoding, it allows remote attackers to embed JavaScript code, HTML tags, or other malicious content that gets executed when other users view the affected page. This particular implementation flaw demonstrates a failure in the application's input sanitization mechanisms, where user-supplied data flows directly into the HTTP response without proper context-aware encoding or filtering.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, deface web pages, or redirect users to malicious sites. Attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to user accounts, modify application data, or establish persistent backdoors within the affected system. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that handle sensitive user data or business-critical information.
Security practitioners should consider implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms as primary mitigations for this vulnerability. The remediation approach should involve proper parameter validation and sanitization of all user-supplied input, particularly in error handling components where input is often processed without adequate security checks. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers and using frameworks that automatically escape output based on context can provide defense-in-depth measures. Organizations should also consider the ATT&CK framework's technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as this vulnerability enables similar attack patterns where adversaries use web-based scripting to compromise systems. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar flaws in other application components, particularly in error handling and logging mechanisms where user input is commonly processed without proper sanitization.