CVE-2011-2409 in Palm webOS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Calendar application in HP Palm webOS 3.x before 3.0.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2409 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Calendar application of HP Palm webOS version 3.x prior to 3.0.2. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The affected platform specifically targets the mobile webOS operating system developed by Hewlett-Packard, which was widely used in Palm devices and later in HP webOS smartphones and tablets.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Calendar application's web interface. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that are then executed when other users view calendar entries or related content. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability may exist across multiple input points within the calendar application, potentially including event titles, descriptions, location fields, or other user-editable content areas. This allows for various attack scenarios where malicious code can be injected through seemingly benign calendar data entries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for users of affected webOS devices, as it enables remote code execution capabilities through web-based attacks. An attacker could potentially inject malicious scripts that steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or perform unauthorized actions on behalf of the victim. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of calendar data, which often contains sensitive personal and business information. Users may unknowingly execute malicious code when viewing calendar entries, making this a persistent threat that could compromise multiple users within an organization or social network.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching and system updates to version 3.0.2 or later, which would contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization measures and output encoding for all user-provided data within web applications. Security professionals should also consider implementing content security policies and regular security assessments of mobile web applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output encoding practices, which aligns with security best practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines. Additionally, this vulnerability could be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1211 which involves manipulating a victim's web browser through malicious script injection, highlighting the need for robust browser security measures and user education about potential web-based threats.