CVE-2011-3984 in Webforum
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in KENT-WEB WEB FORUM 5.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors related to "web form entries."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/12/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3984 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the KENT-WEB WEB FORUM version 5.1 and earlier systems. This security weakness resides in the forum's handling of web form entries, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the application's user interface. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before it is rendered back to other users within the forum environment. This type of flaw falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers. The attack vector specifically targets the forum's form processing functionality where user inputs are not adequately filtered or escaped before being displayed in subsequent web pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that compromise user sessions, steal sensitive information, or redirect users to malicious websites. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can craft malicious form entries that contain JavaScript code or HTML payloads designed to exploit the victim's browser when they view the compromised forum content. The consequences can include session hijacking through cookie theft, credential theft via form redirection, or the execution of malicious code that can perform actions on behalf of the victim such as posting unauthorized messages or modifying forum content. This vulnerability particularly affects the integrity and confidentiality of user data within the forum environment, as it allows attackers to manipulate the application's behavior and potentially gain unauthorized access to user accounts or sensitive forum information.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to initial access and execution phases. Attackers can leverage this flaw as part of a broader attack strategy that includes reconnaissance to identify vulnerable forum installations, followed by payload delivery through malicious form submissions that execute in the context of legitimate users. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of implementing proper input validation and output encoding practices as outlined in OWASP Top Ten security guidelines, specifically addressing the need for robust sanitization of user inputs to prevent injection attacks. Organizations using KENT-WEB WEB FORUM versions 5.1 or earlier should immediately implement mitigations including comprehensive input filtering, output encoding of all user-supplied data, and regular security updates to address this and similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, implementing content security policies and using web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts targeting this type of cross-site scripting vulnerability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability suggests that the forum application fails to properly escape or encode special characters in user-submitted data before rendering it in HTML contexts. This oversight creates a persistent security gap where attackers can inject script tags, event handlers, or other malicious content that executes when other users browse the affected forum pages. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions of the forum software indicates a fundamental flaw in the application's security architecture rather than a simple coding error. Security practitioners should recognize that this type of vulnerability often serves as a stepping stone for more complex attacks, as it provides a foothold for attackers to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within the affected system. The remediation approach should include comprehensive code reviews to identify similar input handling patterns, implementation of automated security testing during development cycles, and regular vulnerability assessments to detect and address similar weaknesses in the application's security posture.