CVE-2010-4978 in CANDID
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in image/view.php in CANDID allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the image_id parameter.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2025
The CVE-2010-4978 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the CANDID content management system's image viewing component. This security weakness exists in the image/view.php script where the application fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages. The vulnerability specifically targets the image_id parameter which serves as an entry point for malicious actors to inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript code into the application's response. When a user accesses a malformed image view page, the injected script executes within the context of the victim's browser session, potentially compromising user data and application integrity.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows standard XSS attack patterns where attackers craft malicious URLs containing script payloads in the image_id parameter. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the CANDID application codebase. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-79 which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically highlighting the failure to properly encode or escape user-controllable data before rendering it in web contexts. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it operates without requiring authentication, making it accessible to any remote attacker who can craft malicious URLs.
From an operational perspective, this XSS vulnerability poses significant risks to both end users and the organization running the CANDID system. Attackers can leverage this flaw to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious sites, or extract sensitive information from the application. The attack surface extends beyond simple script injection as it can be combined with other techniques to establish persistent footholds within the application environment. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers spearphishing with malicious attachments and links, as attackers can use the XSS to deliver malicious payloads through compromised image viewing functionality.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-4978 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The primary fix involves sanitizing the image_id parameter by removing or escaping potentially dangerous characters before processing the input. Organizations should implement proper HTML encoding for all dynamic content rendered to web pages, particularly when incorporating user-supplied data. Additionally, implementing a Content Security Policy (CSP) can provide defense-in-depth measures to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts even if the XSS vulnerability is exploited. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of regular security code reviews and input validation testing as part of the development lifecycle, aligning with security standards that recommend comprehensive testing for injection flaws and proper sanitization of all user-controllable inputs.