CVE-2010-4947 in ALLPC
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in advanced_search_result.php in ALLPC 2.5 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the keywords parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/12/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4947 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the ALLPC 2.5 web application's advanced_search_result.php component. This vulnerability specifically targets the keywords parameter, which serves as an entry point for malicious input that can be exploited by remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers. The flaw exists due to inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the application's search functionality, creating a persistent security weakness that can be leveraged across multiple user sessions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamic web page content. When users submit search queries through the keywords parameter, the application directly reflects this input into the HTML response without appropriate encoding or filtering measures. This creates an environment where attackers can embed malicious scripts that execute in the victim's browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation, making it a classic example of client-side script injection.
From an operational perspective, this XSS vulnerability presents significant risks to both application integrity and user security. Attackers can craft malicious search queries that, when executed by other users, could steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or deface web pages. The remote exploitation nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or any privileged credentials to exploit this vulnerability. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to include potential privilege escalation scenarios where attackers might leverage the XSS to perform actions on behalf of authenticated users, particularly if the application handles sensitive user data or administrative functions.
Security practitioners should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding measures to address this vulnerability. The recommended mitigations include implementing proper HTML entity encoding for all user-supplied input before rendering in web pages, utilizing Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution, and employing regular expression validation to filter out potentially malicious characters. Additionally, the application should be updated to a patched version that properly sanitizes the keywords parameter and implements robust input validation frameworks. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices and adheres to ATT&CK technique T1203 which covers exploitation of web application vulnerabilities for privilege escalation and data exfiltration. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments and implement automated vulnerability scanning to identify similar weaknesses in their web applications, particularly focusing on input validation and output encoding mechanisms that are fundamental to preventing XSS attacks.