CVE-2012-2570 in X-Cart
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in products_map.php in X-Cart Gold 4.5 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the symb parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/09/2025
The CVE-2012-2570 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw in the X-Cart Gold 4.5 e-commerce platform, specifically within the products_map.php script. This vulnerability resides in the symb parameter handling mechanism, where user-supplied input is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered back to web browsers. The flaw enables remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content, potentially compromising the security of users interacting with the affected e-commerce platform.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent web application security weaknesses. The technical implementation flaw occurs when the products_map.php script directly incorporates user-provided symb parameter values into the HTTP response without appropriate output encoding or validation measures. When a victim visits a maliciously crafted URL containing the XSS payload, the injected script executes within the victim's browser context, typically within the security boundaries of the legitimate website.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious sites. An attacker could craft a URL containing a malicious payload that, when clicked by an authenticated user, would execute in the user's browser and potentially steal session cookies or other sensitive information. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in e-commerce environments where users may have elevated privileges or access to sensitive customer data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The recommended approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input parameters, particularly those used in dynamic content generation, and implementing strict validation rules for the symb parameter in products_map.php. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution and employ proper output encoding when rendering user data. Additionally, regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application, with adherence to OWASP Top Ten security guidelines and the ATT&CK framework's web application attack patterns to prevent similar issues in future development cycles.