CVE-2007-1234 in sitex
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in sitex allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the sxYear parameter to calendar.php, (2) the search parameter to search.php, (3) the linkid parameter to redirect.php, or (4) the page parameter to calendar_events.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/25/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-1234 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness in the sitex web application that exposes multiple entry points for remote attackers to execute malicious code within the context of victim browsers. This class of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-79 which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation, making it one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. The vulnerability affects several key components of the sitex application including calendar.php, search.php, redirect.php, and calendar_events.php, each presenting distinct attack vectors that collectively demonstrate a widespread failure in input validation and output sanitization across the application's functionality.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through four distinct parameter injection points that allow attackers to bypass the application's security controls and inject malicious scripts directly into web pages. When the sxYear parameter in calendar.php is manipulated, or when the search parameter in search.php is crafted with malicious input, or through the linkid parameter in redirect.php, or the page parameter in calendar_events.php, attackers can inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code that executes in the victim's browser session. This injection capability stems from the application's failure to properly validate and sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content, creating persistent XSS opportunities that can be leveraged for session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites.
The operational impact of these vulnerabilities extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as they provide attackers with the ability to establish persistent access to user sessions and potentially compromise the entire application ecosystem. The remote nature of these attacks means that malicious actors can exploit these flaws without requiring physical access to the target system or local network privileges, making them particularly dangerous in environments where the application serves a large user base. The widespread nature of the vulnerability across multiple application modules suggests either a systemic lack of input validation across the codebase or a single point of failure in the application's security architecture that has allowed multiple attack vectors to exist simultaneously.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement comprehensive mitigations including input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied parameters, with particular attention to the specific parameters mentioned in the vulnerability description. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers, proper HTML escaping routines, and regular security code reviews should form part of the remediation strategy. Additionally, organizations should consider deploying web application firewalls to detect and prevent exploitation attempts, and conduct thorough security testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. This vulnerability exemplifies the importance of following secure coding practices and demonstrates how a single architectural oversight can create multiple attack surfaces within a web application. The remediation approach should align with established security frameworks and best practices outlined in various security standards including those related to input validation, output encoding, and secure application development methodologies.