CVE-2008-1211 in BosDates
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in BosDates 3.x and 4.x allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the type parameter in calendar.php and (2) the category parameter in calendar_search.php. 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 • 09/19/2018
The cross-site scripting vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-1211 affects BosDates content management systems version 3.x and 4.x, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of affected web applications. This vulnerability specifically targets two distinct input parameters within the calendar.php and calendar_search.php scripts, creating potential attack vectors that could compromise user sessions and data integrity. The flaw resides in the insufficient validation and sanitization of user-supplied input, allowing attackers to inject malicious code that executes in the browsers of unsuspecting users. The vulnerability operates through the manipulation of the type parameter in calendar.php and the category parameter in calendar_search.php, both of which are directly processed without adequate security controls.
From a technical perspective, this XSS vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-79, which defines cross-site scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is sent to a web browser without proper validation or sanitization. The attack occurs when user input flows directly into the application's output without appropriate encoding or filtering mechanisms. The affected BosDates versions fail to implement proper input validation controls, allowing malicious payloads to be stored or executed within the application context. This vulnerability represents a classic reflected XSS scenario where the malicious input is immediately reflected back to the user without proper sanitization, potentially enabling session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The attack vectors exploit the web application's trust in user input, creating an environment where attackers can manipulate the application's behavior through carefully crafted malicious parameters.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking attacks, steal user credentials, or redirect users to phishing sites. When exploited successfully, the vulnerability could allow attackers to access sensitive user data, modify calendar entries, or manipulate the application's functionality. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from any location without requiring physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that handle sensitive information. Users who interact with the calendar functionality could unknowingly execute malicious code, leading to potential data breaches or system compromise. The vulnerability affects the core calendar features of BosDates, which could impact organizations relying on these systems for scheduling and time management.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-supplied parameters. The recommended approach involves sanitizing all input data using proper encoding techniques before processing or displaying any user-provided content, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for input validation bypass. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. Additionally, the application should employ proper parameter validation, including whitelisting acceptable input values and implementing strict type checking. Regular security updates and patches should be applied immediately upon availability, and the application should be configured to sanitize all dynamic content before rendering. Network segmentation and monitoring systems should be deployed to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect web applications from common injection attacks. Organizations should conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in their web applications and ensure proper input validation controls are in place.