CVE-2010-4973 in Campsite
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the search feature in Campsite 3.4.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the f_search_keywords parameter. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/13/2019
The cross-site scripting vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4973 affects Campsite 3.4.0 content management system, specifically targeting the search functionality. This vulnerability resides in the f_search_keywords parameter handling within the application's search feature, creating a significant security risk for web applications that rely on this CMS version. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity. The vulnerability represents a classic XSS attack vector where user input is not properly sanitized or validated before being processed and returned to other users. The attack occurs when the application fails to implement adequate input filtering mechanisms, allowing malicious payloads to be stored or executed within the search results page.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows the standard XSS attack pattern where an attacker crafts malicious input containing script code within the f_search_keywords parameter. When this input is processed by the server-side search functionality and subsequently rendered in the user interface, the embedded scripts execute in the victim's browser context. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where web applications fail to properly validate or escape user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic web content. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the user interface level, directly impacting the end-user experience and potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks such as session hijacking or credential theft.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including cookie theft, session manipulation, and redirection to malicious websites. In the context of Campsite 3.4.0, this vulnerability compromises the integrity of the content management system's search functionality and potentially affects the entire application if the search feature is widely used. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to inject persistent XSS payloads that would affect all users who view the search results, creating a scalable attack vector. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes social engineering tactics including the use of malicious links or content to compromise systems, and T1059 which covers the execution of malicious code through various interfaces including web applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user input through proper validation filters and encoding techniques before processing search queries. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. Additionally, the application should employ proper escape sequences when rendering user-supplied content in web pages, ensuring that special characters are properly encoded to prevent script interpretation. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to a patched version of Campsite or implementing web application firewall rules that can detect and block suspicious search parameter patterns. Security teams should also consider implementing regular security assessments of web applications to identify similar vulnerabilities and maintain robust input validation practices across all application components.