CVE-2009-4804 in Calendar Base
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Calendar Base (cal) extension before 1.1.1 for TYPO3, when Internet Explorer 6 is used, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via "search parameters."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/31/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-4804 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Calendar Base extension for TYPO3 content management system. This weakness specifically affects versions prior to 1.1.1 and manifests when the target system uses Internet Explorer 6 browser. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the calendar extension's search parameter handling functionality. Attackers can exploit this flaw by crafting malicious payloads that get executed in the context of other users' browsers who access the affected calendar functionality.
The technical exploitation of this XSS vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of search parameters that are processed by the calendar extension. When Internet Explorer 6 processes these parameters, the lack of proper sanitization allows malicious script code to be embedded and subsequently executed within the browser context of legitimate users. This creates a persistent threat where attackers can inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content that gets rendered to other users browsing the calendar functionality. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it leverages the specific characteristics of Internet Explorer 6, which had known security limitations and was widely used in enterprise environments during that time period.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious sites, and data exfiltration. The calendar extension being targeted likely handles user data and calendar events that could contain sensitive information, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for organizations managing confidential scheduling data. The fact that the vulnerability specifically affects Internet Explorer 6 also indicates that the attack surface is limited to older browser environments, but these were still prevalent in many enterprise settings during the affected timeframe.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting as a common weakness in web applications. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this as a web application attack vector under the technique of code injection, specifically targeting the client-side execution environment. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigation strategies including updating to the patched version 1.1.1 of the Calendar Base extension, implementing proper input validation for all search parameters, and considering browser upgrade policies to move away from deprecated Internet Explorer 6 implementations. Additionally, web application firewalls and content security policies should be deployed to provide additional layers of protection against similar injection attacks targeting the TYPO3 platform's calendar functionality.