CVE-2008-7048 in NatterChat
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in NatterChat 1.12 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) txtUsername parameter to registerDo.asp, as invoked from register.asp, or (2) txtRoomName parameter to room_new.asp. NOTE: these issues might be resultant from XSS in SQL error messages.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-7048 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in NatterChat version 1.12, a web-based instant messaging application. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's user registration and room creation processes. The flaw specifically manifests when user-supplied data is not properly escaped or filtered before being rendered back to users in web pages, creating opportunities for malicious script execution in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through two primary attack vectors that exploit the application's failure to sanitize user inputs. The first vector targets the txtUsername parameter within the registerDo.asp script, which is invoked from the register.asp page. When users submit registration requests with malicious payloads in the username field, the application fails to properly validate or escape the input before processing it. The second vector affects the txtRoomName parameter in room_new.asp, where similar input validation failures allow attackers to inject malicious scripts during room creation operations. Both attack paths demonstrate a fundamental weakness in the application's data handling procedures, where user-provided content flows directly into web responses without appropriate sanitization measures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of other users' browsers. This capability allows for session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of the application interface, and potential redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability's classification as a persistent XSS issue means that malicious scripts can remain active as long as the vulnerable application continues to display the compromised input data. Furthermore, the noted relationship to SQL error messages suggests that the vulnerability may be exacerbated by error handling mechanisms that inadvertently expose user input within database error responses, creating additional attack surfaces.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a classic example of CWE-79: "Cross-site Scripting" which represents one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. The attack pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001: "Phishing with Social Engineering" where malicious payloads are delivered through compromised web interfaces. Organizations utilizing NatterChat 1.12 should immediately implement input validation and output encoding measures, including the implementation of Content Security Policy headers, proper HTML escaping of all user-supplied data, and comprehensive sanitization of form inputs. Additionally, the vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure error handling practices, where application developers should ensure that database error messages do not inadvertently expose user input data that could be exploited in similar fashion to the reported XSS flaws.
The remediation approach must address both the immediate input validation gaps and the underlying architectural issues that allow user data to flow unsanitized into web responses. This includes implementing proper parameter validation, employing context-appropriate output encoding for different data types, and establishing robust error handling that does not expose sensitive information. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns, while conducting comprehensive security testing to identify additional potential XSS vulnerabilities within the application's codebase. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the necessity of thorough code reviews to prevent the introduction of such flaws in web applications.