CVE-2008-4535 in EC-CUBE
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in EC-CUBE Ver2 2.1.2a and earlier, EC-CUBE Ver2 Beta(RC) 2.2.0-beta and earlier, and EC-CUBE Community Edition Nighly-Build r17623 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors, a different issue than CVE-2008-4536 and CVE-2008-4537.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/11/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-4535 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting multiple versions of the EC-CUBE e-commerce platform. This vulnerability exists within the core application logic of EC-CUBE versions 2.1.2a and earlier, as well as the 2.2.0-beta and earlier releases, and the nightly build r17623 and earlier of the community edition. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content into the application's response, creating a persistent security risk that can compromise user sessions and data integrity.
The technical nature of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the EC-CUBE framework. Attackers can exploit this weakness through unspecified vectors that likely involve user-controllable parameters or data fields within the application's interface. These vectors may include product descriptions, user comments, search queries, or any other input field that accepts user-generated content without proper sanitization. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-site Scripting flaws where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without adequate validation or encoding.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it enables attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of affected users' browsers. This can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious sites, or the execution of unauthorized transactions. Users interacting with compromised EC-CUBE installations could unknowingly execute code that steals their authentication tokens, modifies their shopping cart data, or redirects them to phishing sites. The vulnerability affects the entire user base of affected EC-CUBE deployments, making it a particularly dangerous flaw for online retailers and e-commerce platforms.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering through malicious content injection. The attack surface includes any user interaction with the vulnerable EC-CUBE application, whether through customer-facing interfaces, administrative panels, or any component that processes user input. The exploitation requires minimal privileges and can be automated, making it particularly dangerous for widespread deployment. Organizations should prioritize patching this vulnerability as it represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's security posture and can be exploited to compromise the entire e-commerce platform.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate implementation of input validation controls, output encoding mechanisms, and regular security updates for the EC-CUBE platform. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious script injections, conduct regular security assessments of their web applications, and ensure proper patch management procedures are in place. Additionally, developers should follow secure coding practices that prevent XSS vulnerabilities through proper data sanitization and context-aware output encoding. The vulnerability underscores the importance of comprehensive security testing and continuous monitoring of web applications to prevent similar flaws from compromising user data and system integrity.