CVE-2010-1746 in Com Grid
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in the Table JX (com_grid) component for Joomla! allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) data_search and (2) rpp parameters to index.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/01/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-1746 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Table JX component of Joomla websites. The flaw manifests when user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability affects the component's handling of data_search and rpp parameters, which are typically used for search functionality and record per page settings respectively, making it particularly dangerous as these are common parameters used in web applications.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of HTTP parameters sent to the index.php endpoint of affected Joomla! installations. When attackers craft malicious payloads and inject them into the data_search or rpp parameters, the vulnerable code fails to properly escape or validate the input before incorporating it into HTML output. This allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code or HTML content that executes in the victim's browser when they view the affected page. The vulnerability is classified as a classic reflected XSS attack since the malicious code is reflected back to the user through the web application's response without being stored on the server. According to CWE standards, this maps to CWE-79 which specifically addresses Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, commonly referred to as Cross-Site Scripting.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-1746 extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the ability to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of web pages, and redirection to malicious sites. Attackers could potentially steal administrator credentials, modify content, or create backdoors on compromised sites. The vulnerability affects the entire user base of affected Joomla! installations, making it particularly dangerous for websites that rely heavily on user-generated content or administrative functionality. The reflected nature of the attack means that victims must be tricked into clicking malicious links, often through phishing emails or social engineering techniques, making it a persistent threat to web application security. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers Phishing and T1531 which addresses Establishing Persistence through Web Shell creation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Joomla! installations to version 1.5.11 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. System administrators should also implement input validation and output encoding measures to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other components. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues in other web applications. Organizations should also establish robust security monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts and ensure that all third-party components are regularly updated and maintained to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.