CVE-2009-2920 in Elvinbts
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Elvin 1.2.2 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) component and (2) priority parameters to buglist.php; and the (3) Username (4) E-mail, (5) Pass, and (6) Confirm pass fields to createaccount.php.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/08/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-2920 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Elvin version 1.2.2, a system designed for event notification and monitoring. This vulnerability exposes the application to remote code execution through malicious script injection, creating significant security risks for organizations relying on the platform for system monitoring and alerting. The flaw specifically impacts two key PHP scripts within the application's interface, demonstrating poor input validation and sanitization practices that enable attackers to manipulate the system's behavior through crafted web requests.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate parameter validation in multiple user interaction points within the Elvin system. Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by injecting malicious scripts through the component and priority parameters in the buglist.php script, while simultaneously targeting the username, email, password, and confirmation password fields in createaccount.php. These parameters represent common input vectors for XSS attacks where user-supplied data flows directly into the application's output without proper sanitization or encoding. The vulnerability manifests as persistent XSS when the malicious content is stored and subsequently executed in other users' browsers, or as reflected XSS when the malicious script executes in the context of the victim's browser session.
The operational impact of CVE-2009-2920 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it provides attackers with a foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the network environment. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, inject malicious content into the application, or even escalate privileges within the monitoring system. Given that Elvin systems are often deployed in enterprise environments for critical infrastructure monitoring, this vulnerability could allow attackers to gain visibility into system events, potentially compromising security monitoring capabilities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566 for social engineering through malicious content injection.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding measures across all user-facing parameters. Organizations should implement proper parameter sanitization for all inputs, particularly those used in dynamic content generation and user account creation processes. The fix should include encoding user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages, implementing Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution, and applying proper input validation to reject suspicious character sequences. Additionally, the system should enforce strict validation of email formats, password complexity requirements, and username restrictions to prevent exploitation through malformed inputs. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components, while network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.