CVE-2008-1960 in contray
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in cgi-bin/contray/search.cgi in ContRay 3.x allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the search 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 • 09/23/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-1960 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the ContRay content management system version 3.x, specifically affecting the cgi-bin/contray/search.cgi component. This vulnerability exposes the system to remote code execution risks where malicious actors can inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content through the search parameter, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity. The flaw resides in the application's insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing and rendering it within web pages. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-79 indicates a failure in input validation and output encoding, making it susceptible to various XSS attack vectors including reflected, stored, and DOM-based variants. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that the vulnerability affects a core search functionality that likely processes user queries without adequate sanitization measures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to execute malicious code within the context of affected users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The attack vector requires minimal privileges as it operates entirely through web-based interactions, making it accessible to any remote attacker who can submit search queries to the vulnerable system. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1566 (Phishing) as attackers can leverage the XSS to deliver malicious payloads or redirect users to phishing sites. The vulnerability's persistence potential allows attackers to establish backdoors or maintain access through malicious scripts that execute in the victim's browser context, creating a persistent threat vector that can remain active until the vulnerability is patched.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of the ContRay 3.x system with the latest security updates from the vendor, while implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding measures at the application level. Organizations should deploy web application firewalls to detect and block malicious search parameters, implement content security policies to restrict script execution, and conduct regular security assessments of web applications to identify similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process must include thorough code review of all input handling functions, particularly those related to search and user input processing, to ensure proper sanitization of data before rendering. Additionally, security awareness training for developers should emphasize the importance of input validation and output encoding to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future development cycles, as this vulnerability demonstrates the critical need for secure coding practices that align with OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines.