CVE-2010-2856 in osCSS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in admin/currencies.php in osCSS 1.2.2, and probably earlier versions, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the page parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/23/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2010-2856 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the osCommerce e-commerce platform version 1.2.2 and potentially older iterations. This security weakness exists in the administrative currency management component of the software, specifically in the currencies.php file. The flaw allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content through the page parameter, which is typically used for navigation within the admin interface. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the application's administrative section, creating an avenue for attackers to execute malicious code in the context of a victim's browser session.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application failing to properly sanitize user-supplied input that is subsequently rendered without adequate encoding or escaping mechanisms. When an administrator navigates to the currencies management page and the page parameter contains malicious script content, the application processes this input without sufficient validation, allowing the injected code to execute in the browser of any user who accesses the affected page. This particular flaw falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is a fundamental web application security issue that has been consistently identified as one of the most prevalent vulnerabilities in web applications. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it targets the administrative interface, which typically contains sensitive functionality and access to critical system components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the compromised system. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially steal administrator session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, modify administrative settings, or even gain unauthorized access to the underlying system. The attack vector requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous for online stores that rely on osCommerce for their business operations. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which covers the use of web shell delivery and command execution through web application vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate input validation and output encoding improvements within the affected application. The most effective solution involves implementing proper parameter sanitization and HTML escaping for all user-supplied input that is rendered in the administrative interface. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to add an additional layer of protection against script injection attacks. Regular security audits and input validation testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application. Additionally, administrators should ensure that all instances of osCommerce are updated to the latest available versions where this vulnerability has been patched, as the original version 1.2.2 is no longer supported and lacks modern security protections. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date web application software and implementing comprehensive security measures to prevent exploitation of known weaknesses in e-commerce platforms.