CVE-2008-4872 in iTechBids
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in bidhistory.php in iTechBids Gold 5.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the item_id parameter. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-4872 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the iTechBids Gold 5.0 auction platform, specifically affecting the bidhistory.php script. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79, which defines weaknesses related to improper neutralization of input during web page generation. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize or validate user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts within the context of other users' browsers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the item_id parameter within the bidhistory.php endpoint. When an attacker crafts a malicious payload and submits it through this parameter, the vulnerable application processes the input without adequate sanitization measures, subsequently embedding the malicious code within the page's HTML output. This allows the injected script to execute in the victim's browser with the same privileges as the legitimate user, potentially enabling session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability is classified as a reflected XSS attack since the malicious payload is reflected back to the user through the application's response without being stored on the server.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can be leveraged to compromise user sessions and potentially escalate privileges within the auction platform. Attackers could craft sophisticated attacks that steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or manipulate auction dynamics by injecting malicious JavaScript that alters the display of auction information. Given that this vulnerability affects a core auction functionality, it could undermine the integrity of the entire bidding system and compromise user trust in the platform's security measures. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal user interaction beyond visiting a maliciously crafted URL containing the exploit payload.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should encompass both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The primary fix involves implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in dynamic content generation. The application should sanitize the item_id parameter by removing or encoding special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. Additionally, implementing a Content Security Policy (CSP) header can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Organizations should also consider implementing Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with XSS detection capabilities and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. The remediation process should follow secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices and align with defense-in-depth strategies recommended by the MITRE ATT&CK framework for web application security.