CVE-2008-7108 in phpCart
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Carmosa phpCart 3.4 through 4.6.4 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) quantity or (2) Add Engraving fields to the default URI; (3) Quantity field to phpcart.php; (4) Name, (5) Company, (6) Address, (7) City, and (8) Province/State fields in a checkout action to phpcart.php; and other unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-7108 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Carmosa phpCart versions 3.4 through 4.6.4, exposing web applications to persistent remote code execution risks. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the shopping cart software, creating multiple entry points for malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into the application's response. The flaw specifically targets several user input fields including quantity parameters, engraving additions, and comprehensive checkout information including name, company, address, city, and province/state fields, all of which are processed without proper sanitization measures. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting as a weakness where applications fail to properly validate or escape user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic web content.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers submit malicious payloads through the identified input vectors, which are then rendered in web pages without proper HTML escaping or sanitization. When legitimate users view these pages containing the injected scripts, the malicious code executes in their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. The attack surface is particularly broad as it encompasses not only the initial quantity and engraving fields but also extends to checkout processing functionality, making it a comprehensive vector for exploitation. The vulnerability's impact is amplified because these fields are typically used during normal shopping cart operations, making the malicious injection more likely to be processed and displayed without raising immediate suspicion from users or security monitoring systems.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-7108 extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to perform session manipulation attacks and establish persistent access to affected systems. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal user session cookies, redirect customers to phishing sites, or modify the shopping cart functionality to manipulate prices or add unauthorized items. The vulnerability's presence in checkout processing fields particularly threatens customer data integrity and financial transaction security. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566 (Phishing) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) techniques, as attackers can use the XSS to redirect users to malicious sites or execute malicious scripts. The vulnerability also relates to T1190 (Exploit Public-Facing Application) since it affects publicly accessible web application interfaces.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of comprehensive input validation and output encoding measures throughout the application. Organizations should implement proper HTML escaping for all user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages, utilize parameterized queries where applicable, and deploy web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. Regular security audits and code reviews should focus on input validation mechanisms, particularly in areas handling user-generated content. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular updates and patches to the phpCart software are essential to prevent exploitation. Security teams should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning tools to identify similar issues in other web applications and establish proper incident response procedures to handle potential exploitation attempts.