CVE-2008-3849 in Civic-cms
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the calendar controller in Civic Website Manager before 1.0.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors, probably involving (1) month, (2) day, and (3) year fields.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/08/2018
The CVE-2008-3849 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the Civic Website Manager calendar controller component prior to version 1.0.1. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting and specifically manifests as a client-side code injection weakness that enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects a core web application component that handles date-related inputs, making it a prime target for exploitation in web-based attacks.
The technical flaw exploits the calendar controller's insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms when processing date parameters. Attackers can manipulate the month, day, and year fields through unspecified vectors that likely involve direct parameter injection into the application's request handling logic. This vulnerability operates by allowing malicious input to bypass sanitization controls, enabling attackers to inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript code that gets executed when other users view calendar content. The attack vector typically involves submitting crafted payloads through the calendar interface where the application fails to properly escape or validate user-supplied date values before rendering them in web pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to perform session hijacking, defacement of web content, data theft, and potentially full system compromise through more sophisticated attack chains. When users interact with calendar pages containing malicious payloads, their browsers execute the injected scripts, which can steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or modify page content. This vulnerability particularly affects web applications that rely on user-generated calendar data, making it a significant concern for organizations using Civic Website Manager for event scheduling, appointment booking, or calendar-based collaboration features. The vulnerability's persistence in the application's codebase for an extended period indicates potential design flaws in the input handling architecture that require comprehensive security review.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-3849 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding controls throughout the application's data flow. Organizations must ensure proper HTML escaping of all user-supplied inputs before rendering them in web pages, particularly for date-related fields that are commonly manipulated by attackers. The recommended approach includes implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, employing proper parameter validation routines, and upgrading to Civic Website Manager version 1.0.1 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed. Security teams should also conduct thorough code reviews focusing on all input handling components, implement automated vulnerability scanning tools, and establish secure coding practices that align with OWASP Top Ten guidelines and NIST cybersecurity frameworks to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future development cycles.