CVE-2011-4172 in Webforum
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in KENT-WEB WEB FORUM before 5.1 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) an e-mail address field or (2) a cookie, a related issue to CVE-2011-3383, CVE-2011-3983, and CVE-2011-3984.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/12/2019
The CVE-2011-4172 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting KENT-WEB WEB FORUM versions prior to 5.1, demonstrating the persistent nature of web application security weaknesses in forum software ecosystems. This vulnerability classifies under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting conditions where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without proper validation or sanitization. The flaw exists in the forum's handling of user input through email address fields and cookie data, creating attack vectors that can be exploited by remote adversaries to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the web forum's processing pipeline. When users enter email addresses or when cookies are processed by the server, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that get stored and subsequently executed whenever other users view the affected content or when cookies are processed. The vulnerability's relationship to CVE-2011-3383, CVE-2011-3983, and CVE-2011-3984 indicates a pattern of similar input handling flaws within the same software family, suggesting systemic weaknesses in the application's security architecture and input sanitization protocols.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to perform a range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. Users who view forum posts containing malicious scripts or who have their cookies manipulated could have their sessions compromised, potentially allowing unauthorized access to their accounts. The attack surface extends beyond simple script execution to include more sophisticated techniques such as phishing attacks where users are redirected to malicious sites or where sensitive information is collected from authenticated sessions. The vulnerability's persistence in forum environments means that successful exploitation could affect multiple users over extended periods, as the malicious content remains embedded in the forum's database until properly patched.
The remediation approach for CVE-2011-4172 requires immediate implementation of comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should upgrade to KENT-WEB WEB FORUM version 5.1 or later, which includes proper sanitization of user inputs and cookie data. Security controls should implement strict validation of email address formats and ensure all user-provided data undergoes proper HTML escaping before being rendered in web pages. The mitigation strategy aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering through malicious content delivery, and T1071.001 which addresses application layer protocol usage. Additionally, implementing content security policies and regular security assessments would help prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in the future, particularly focusing on the principle of least privilege and proper input/output handling within web applications.