CVE-2011-5177 in eSyndiCat Pro
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in admin/controller.php in eSyndiCat Pro 2.3.05 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) id parameter to the admins (2) blocks, (3) articles, or (4) suggest-category; or (5) sort parameter to the search page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2011-5177 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the eSyndiCat Pro 2.3.05 content management system that exposes multiple attack vectors through improperly sanitized input parameters. This vulnerability specifically affects the admin/controller.php file which serves as a central control point for various administrative functions including user management, content organization, and search operations. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing or displaying it within the web application interface. The vulnerability impacts multiple administrative endpoints including the admins, blocks, articles, and suggest-category functionalities, as well as the search page's sort parameter, creating a broad attack surface for malicious actors seeking to exploit this weakness.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic XSS attack pattern where unfiltered user input flows directly into HTML output contexts without proper sanitization or encoding mechanisms. When attackers manipulate the id parameter within the admins, blocks, articles, or suggest-category endpoints, or exploit the sort parameter on the search page, malicious scripts can be injected and subsequently executed in the context of victim browsers. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in software applications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe in administrative contexts where attackers could potentially escalate privileges, steal session cookies, or gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection as it creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistent access to the administrative interface of the eSyndiCat Pro system. Once exploited, attackers could modify or delete content, manipulate user permissions, and potentially compromise the entire web application. The vulnerability's presence in the search functionality also means that even regular users could be targeted through search result manipulation, creating a broader attack surface than initially apparent. The administrative nature of the affected components means that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and unauthorized content modification. Organizations using this vulnerable version face significant risk of unauthorized access and potential data breaches, particularly given that the vulnerability affects core administrative functions that control the content management system's operational integrity.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-5177 should prioritize immediate patching of the eSyndiCat Pro 2.3.05 installation to the latest available version that addresses these XSS vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding measures across all user-supplied data points, particularly within administrative interfaces where such vulnerabilities are most dangerous. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while proper parameter sanitization should be enforced at multiple layers of the application architecture. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious parameter manipulation attempts, and regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the web application stack. Additionally, administrative interfaces should be protected through multi-factor authentication and restricted access controls to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation in web applications and the necessity of implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect administrative functions from malicious injection attacks.