CVE-2012-3999 in Sticky Notes
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in admin/login.php in Sticky Notes 0.3.09062012.4 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the username parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/06/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-3999 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the Sticky Notes web application version 0.3.09062012.4 and earlier. This vulnerability exists within the administrative login component at admin/login.php, making it particularly dangerous as it targets the most privileged access point of the application. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of authenticated users' browsers, potentially leading to complete system compromise through session hijacking or data exfiltration.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and output encoding within the username parameter handling mechanism. When user-supplied input is directly incorporated into web page responses without adequate sanitization or encoding, it creates an avenue for attackers to inject malicious payloads. The vulnerability specifically affects the admin/login.php endpoint, which processes authentication requests and displays user-provided data in the web interface. This creates an ideal environment for XSS exploitation where an attacker can craft a malicious username containing script code that executes when the page renders.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to administrative functions. Given that the vulnerability exists in the login page, successful exploitation could lead to full administrative control over the Sticky Notes application, potentially allowing attackers to modify or delete notes, access sensitive data, or even install backdoors. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or local network privileges to exploit it, making it particularly dangerous in web-facing environments.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and follows the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it targets the authentication mechanism, which is a fundamental security control. The vulnerability demonstrates poor secure coding practices where user input is not properly validated or escaped before being rendered in the web interface. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation, output encoding, and the principle of least privilege to prevent such vulnerabilities. The recommended mitigation strategies include immediate patching of the affected application, implementing web application firewalls, and conducting thorough security assessments of all input handling mechanisms to prevent similar issues in other components of the application ecosystem.