CVE-2008-7057 in Grayscalecms
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in merchandise.php in BandSite CMS 1.1.4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary HTML or web script via the type parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/03/2024
The CVE-2008-7057 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the BandSite CMS version 1.1.4 content management system. This vulnerability specifically targets the merchandise.php script which processes user input through the type parameter, creating an exploitable entry point for malicious actors to inject harmful code into web applications. The flaw exists due to insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before it is rendered back to other users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing HTML or JavaScript code and submits it through the type parameter of the merchandise.php endpoint. When the application processes this input without proper sanitization, the injected code becomes part of the dynamic web page content and executes within the context of other users' browsers who view the affected page. This creates a persistent XSS vector that can be used to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to both end users and system administrators within the BandSite CMS ecosystem. Attackers can leverage this flaw to establish persistent access to user sessions, potentially compromising sensitive information and user credentials. The vulnerability also enables the deployment of malicious scripts that can modify website content, deface pages, or create backdoors for continued unauthorized access. Given that this affects a CMS platform, the potential damage extends beyond simple script injection to include complete website compromise and data exfiltration capabilities.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is sent to a web browser without proper validation or sanitization. This specific instance represents a reflected XSS vulnerability where the malicious input is immediately reflected back to users without proper encoding or escaping. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this maps to technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious inputs and potentially T1059.007 for command and control through web shell deployment. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices and highlights the critical importance of implementing proper output encoding and content security policies. Organizations should implement strict input validation, output encoding, and regular security audits to prevent such vulnerabilities from being exploited in production environments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate patching of the BandSite CMS to version 1.1.5 or later where the XSS flaw has been addressed through proper input sanitization. Additionally, implementing proper HTML entity encoding for all user-supplied input before rendering, deploying Content Security Policies to restrict script execution, and conducting regular security testing including dynamic application security testing can help prevent similar issues. Network monitoring and intrusion detection systems should also be configured to detect and alert on suspicious input patterns that may indicate attempted exploitation of such vulnerabilities.