CVE-2009-2733 in Achievo
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Achievo before 1.4.0 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the scheduler title in the scheduler module, and the (2) atksearch[contractnumber], (3) atksearch_AE_customer[customer], (4) atksearchmode[contracttype], and possibly (5) atksearch[contractname] parameters to the Organization Contracts administration page, reachable through dispatch.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-2733 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Achievo version 1.3.9 and earlier, specifically within the Organization Contracts administration page. This security weakness stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before rendering it in web responses. The vulnerability impacts multiple parameters within the application's search functionality, creating multiple attack vectors that can be exploited by remote malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the application's user interface.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of specific parameters within the application's URL structure, namely atksearch[contractnumber], atksearch_AE_customer[customer], atksearchmode[contracttype], and atksearch[contractname] parameters that are processed through the dispatch.php endpoint. Additionally, the scheduler title parameter within the scheduler module presents another potential attack surface. These parameters are directly incorporated into the application's output without proper sanitization, allowing attackers to inject malicious payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize user input, specifically manifesting as cross-site scripting that can be leveraged for session hijacking, data theft, or redirection to malicious sites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to compromise user sessions and potentially escalate privileges within the application. When a victim visits a page containing maliciously crafted parameters, the injected scripts execute in their browser context, potentially allowing attackers to steal authentication cookies, modify application data, or redirect users to phishing sites. The vulnerability affects the entire Organization Contracts administration functionality, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on Achievo for business-critical operations. Given that the vulnerability affects parameters used in search functionality, attackers can craft malicious URLs that would be executed whenever legitimate users perform searches, creating a persistent threat vector.
Organizations utilizing Achievo versions prior to 1.4.0 should immediately implement mitigations including input validation, output encoding, and proper parameter sanitization. The recommended approach involves implementing strict input validation that rejects or sanitizes potentially malicious characters, particularly those commonly used in XSS attacks such as angle brackets, script tags, and javascript protocols. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide defense-in-depth against script execution, while proper output encoding ensures that any malicious content is rendered harmless when displayed in user interfaces. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious links and T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter execution, demonstrating how such vulnerabilities can serve as entry points for broader compromise. The fix requires updating to Achievo version 1.4.0 or later, where proper input sanitization and validation mechanisms have been implemented to prevent the injection of malicious content into application responses.