CVE-2008-1225 in WebCT
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in WebCT Campus Edition 4.1.5.8, when "Don t wrap text" is enabled, allow remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a (1) mail message or (2) discussion board message. NOTE: this might overlap CVE-2005-1076.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/23/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-1225 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in WebCT Campus Edition version 4.1.5.8. This security weakness specifically manifests when the "Don't wrap text" formatting option is enabled within the application's interface. The vulnerability affects both mail message handling and discussion board message processing, creating multiple attack vectors for malicious actors to exploit. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web application's text processing pipeline, which fails to properly sanitize user-provided content before rendering it in the browser context.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of text input fields where authenticated users can inject malicious scripts or HTML code. When the "Don't wrap text" feature is active, the application processes user-entered content without sufficient sanitization, allowing attackers to bypass normal security controls. This creates an environment where malicious payloads can be executed in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized actions. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-79 indicates a failure in input validation and output encoding, specifically related to cross-site scripting attacks. The attack vector requires authentication, meaning that only legitimate users with valid credentials can exploit this weakness, though this does not diminish its severity given the potential for privilege escalation and data compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform unauthorized actions within the application's context. An authenticated attacker could craft malicious messages that, when viewed by other users, would execute arbitrary code in their browsers. This capability allows for session cookie theft, which could lead to full account compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive educational data. The vulnerability's overlap with CVE-2005-1076 suggests this may represent a recurring flaw in the WebCT application's text processing architecture that was not adequately addressed in the version affected by CVE-2008-1225. The attack scenario typically involves an attacker sending a malicious message to a victim who then views the content, causing the injected script to execute in their browser session. This type of attack aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments or links, though the specific implementation here targets the application's own user interface rendering mechanisms.
Organizations utilizing WebCT Campus Edition 4.1.5.8 should implement immediate mitigations including disabling the "Don't wrap text" feature until a proper security patch is applied. The recommended remediation strategy involves comprehensive input validation and output encoding across all user-facing text fields, particularly those used for mail and discussion board functionality. Security patches should address the root cause by implementing proper HTML escaping mechanisms and sanitization routines before any user-generated content is rendered in the browser. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring of user activity can help detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of validating all user inputs and properly encoding output to prevent XSS attacks, aligning with security best practices outlined in OWASP's top ten vulnerabilities and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers as an additional defense-in-depth measure to prevent unauthorized script execution, though this mitigation is secondary to proper input validation and output encoding.