CVE-2008-1896 in Carbon Communities
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Carbon Communities 2.4 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) Redirect parameter to login.asp and the (2) OrderBy parameter to member_send.asp.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-1896 represents a critical security flaw in Carbon Communities version 2.4 and earlier systems, specifically targeting cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that enable remote attackers to execute malicious code within the context of affected user sessions. This issue manifests through two distinct attack vectors that exploit insufficient input validation mechanisms within the web application's authentication and member communication modules. The first vulnerability occurs in the login.asp script where the Redirect parameter fails to properly sanitize user input, while the second vulnerability exists in member_send.asp where the OrderBy parameter lacks adequate security controls to prevent malicious script injection.
The technical exploitation of these vulnerabilities stems from the application's failure to implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. When users navigate to the login.asp page with a malicious Redirect parameter, or when they interact with member_send.asp using an injected OrderBy parameter, the application processes these inputs without sufficient sanitization. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code that executes within the victim's browser context. The flaw directly maps to CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is sent to a web browser without proper validation or encoding. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform session hijacking, steal user credentials, redirect users to malicious sites, or execute unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users.
From an operational perspective, these vulnerabilities pose significant risks to organizations utilizing Carbon Communities platforms, as they can lead to complete compromise of user sessions and potential data breaches. Attackers can leverage these XSS flaws to capture session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or inject malicious content that persists across user interactions. The impact extends beyond individual user accounts to potentially affect entire community platforms, as successful exploitation can enable attackers to manipulate content, access private communications, or establish persistent backdoors within the application environment. This vulnerability particularly threatens web applications that rely on user-generated content and authentication mechanisms, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to exploit trust relationships between users and the application.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-1896 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding controls throughout the application. Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-supplied patches or upgrade to versions of Carbon Communities that address these vulnerabilities. Additionally, developers must implement proper parameter validation for all user inputs, particularly those used in redirect and sorting operations. The solution should include sanitizing all input parameters through whitelisting mechanisms, implementing proper HTML encoding for dynamic content, and utilizing secure coding practices that prevent script injection attacks. Security controls should align with ATT&CK framework techniques such as T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for credential access through social engineering. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls, conduct regular security assessments, and establish proper input sanitization protocols to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future development cycles.