CVE-2008-5487 in Text Link Sales
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in admin.php in TurnkeyForms Text Link Sales allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the id parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/11/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-5487 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the TurnkeyForms Text Link Sales administrative interface. This issue specifically affects the admin.php script where the id parameter is processed without adequate input validation or output sanitization. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads in the id parameter that get executed in the context of other users' browsers when they access the affected administrative page.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of user-supplied input within the web application's backend processing logic. When the id parameter is passed to admin.php, the application fails to sanitize or validate the input before incorporating it into dynamic web content. This allows malicious actors to inject HTML tags, JavaScript code, or other malicious scripts that will execute in the browsers of legitimate users who view the affected page. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it occurs within the administrative interface, potentially granting attackers elevated privileges or access to sensitive administrative functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, data theft, privilege escalation, and defacement of the web application. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could steal administrator sessions, modify content, access restricted areas, or even take full control of the affected system. The attack vector requires no special privileges or authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by anyone who can access the administrative interface. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566.001 for Phishing, as it enables the delivery of malicious scripts through web-based attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through strict validation, implementing proper HTML encoding for dynamic content, and employing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit script execution. Organizations should also implement the principle of least privilege by restricting administrative access to authorized personnel only, and regularly updating and patching vulnerable applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding as fundamental security practices that should be implemented across all web applications. Additionally, regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing can help identify similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in real-world scenarios.