CVE-2010-2917 in AJ Article
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in index.php in AJ Square AJ Article 3.0 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) emailid, (2) fname, (3) lname, (4) company, (5) address1, (6) address2, (7) city, (8) state, (9) zipcode, (10) phone, and (11) fax parameters in an update action. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2917 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the AJ Square AJ Article 3.0 content management system. This vulnerability exists in the index.php file and specifically targets the update action functionality where user-provided data is processed without adequate sanitization or validation. The flaw affects multiple input parameters including emailid, fname, lname, company, address1, address2, city, state, zipcode, phone, and fax fields, making it particularly dangerous as it provides attackers with numerous entry points to inject malicious code into the application's web interface.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes cross-site scripting weaknesses where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding. The flaw occurs because the application fails to implement adequate input sanitization mechanisms before rendering user-supplied data back to web browsers. When users submit information through the update action, the application directly incorporates these parameters into HTML output without proper HTML entity encoding or other protective measures, creating an environment where malicious scripts can execute in the context of other users' browsers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the victim's browser session. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious websites, or even deface the affected website. The broad scope of affected parameters means that attackers can construct sophisticated attacks using various combinations of the vulnerable fields, potentially leading to persistent XSS attacks that could compromise multiple users over time. This vulnerability particularly affects web applications that handle user registration or profile update functionality, as it provides a direct pathway for attackers to exploit the trust relationship between users and the application.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user inputs through proper HTML entity encoding before rendering them in web pages, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through phishing. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. Additionally, the application should validate input lengths, enforce strict data type checking, and implement proper parameterized queries or input sanitization libraries. Regular security testing including automated vulnerability scanning and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar issues in other parts of the application. The fix should also include implementing proper access controls and input validation frameworks that prevent the injection of malicious code while maintaining legitimate functionality for authorized users.