CVE-2010-4848 in AxsLinks
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in addlink.php in AXScripts AxsLinks 0.3 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) url or (2) title parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/11/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4848 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the AXScripts AxsLinks 0.3 web application. This vulnerability exists within the addlink.php script which processes user input for adding new links to the system. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize or validate input parameters before incorporating them into web page responses, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the application's parameter handling. Attackers can exploit this weakness by submitting malicious payloads through either the url or title parameters, which are then reflected back to users without proper sanitization. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without adequate validation or encoding. The vulnerability is classified as a reflected XSS attack because the malicious script is reflected off the web server and executed in the victim's browser.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to the security and integrity of the affected web application. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can potentially steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of authenticated users, redirect victims to malicious websites, or even deface the web application interface. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires minimal privileges and can be executed through standard web browser interactions, making it accessible to a wide range of threat actors. The vulnerability affects users who interact with the link submission functionality, potentially compromising all users who view pages containing maliciously injected content.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through strict validation and encoding before processing or storing any data. This includes implementing proper HTML entity encoding for output, using parameterized queries where applicable, and ensuring that all input parameters undergo thorough validation. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts. Additionally, regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to the principle of least privilege in web application development, as outlined in various cybersecurity frameworks including those referenced in the ATT&CK framework for web application attacks. The remediation process should also include comprehensive testing to ensure that all input fields are properly validated and that no similar vulnerabilities exist in other components of the system.