CVE-2008-3394 in BookMine
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in search.cfm in BookMine allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) gallery and (2) search_string parameters.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-3394 represents a critical security flaw in the BookMine web application's search.cfm component, which exposes multiple cross-site scripting attack vectors. This issue affects the application's ability to properly sanitize user input, creating opportunities for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts within the context of legitimate user sessions. The vulnerability specifically targets two parameter fields named gallery and search_string, which are processed without adequate input validation or output encoding mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers submit malicious payloads through the gallery and search_string parameters in the search.cfm script. These parameters are directly incorporated into the web page output without proper sanitization, allowing attackers to inject HTML tags, javascript code, or other malicious content that executes in the victim's browser. The flaw falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-site Scripting, specifically representing a reflected XSS vulnerability where the malicious payload is reflected back to the user through the application's response. This type of vulnerability enables attackers to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-3394 extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it can be leveraged to create more sophisticated attack chains within the broader threat landscape. Attackers can utilize this vulnerability to establish persistent access through session manipulation, deploy browser-based malware, or create phishing attacks that appear legitimate to users. The vulnerability's presence in a search functionality makes it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through normal user interactions, potentially affecting a large number of users who perform searches within the application. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments, as attackers can craft malicious search queries that, when clicked by victims, execute their payloads.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through proper validation routines that reject or escape potentially dangerous characters and patterns before they are processed or displayed. Implementing Content Security Policy headers, utilizing proper HTML encoding for dynamic content, and employing parameterized queries or prepared statements can significantly reduce the attack surface. Additionally, regular security code reviews and automated vulnerability scanning should be implemented to identify similar issues in other application components, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of consistent security practices across all input handling mechanisms. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that all user-facing parameters are properly validated and that output encoding is consistently applied to prevent similar reflected XSS vulnerabilities from emerging in other parts of the application.