CVE-2012-4241 in Microcart
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Microcart 1.0 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) PATH_INFO or (2) query string to _admin/index.php or (3) first_name, (4) last_name, (5) cc, (6) exp, (7) cvv, (8) address1, (9) address2, (10) city, (11) state, (12) zip, (13) phone, or (14) email parameter to checkout.php, which is not properly handled in an error message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4241 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Microcart 1.0 e-commerce software. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's web interface, creating multiple attack vectors that could be exploited by remote adversaries. The flaw manifests in two primary locations: the administrative interface at _admin/index.php and the customer checkout process at checkout.php, where user-supplied data is improperly handled without adequate security measures.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through several distinct pathways that bypass standard security controls. Attackers can leverage the PATH_INFO parameter or query string parameters to inject malicious scripts directly into the application's response handling. The most concerning aspect involves the checkout.php endpoint where numerous customer input fields including first_name, last_name, credit card information, address details, and contact information are all susceptible to injection attacks. When these parameters are processed and subsequently displayed in error messages without proper sanitization, the malicious code executes within the context of other users' browsers, creating a persistent cross-site scripting condition.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement. According to CWE-79 Cross-site Scripting, the flaw allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in victims' browsers, potentially enabling session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The attack surface is particularly dangerous because it affects both administrative and customer-facing components of the e-commerce platform. The vulnerability is classified as a server-side injection issue that can be exploited through HTTP request manipulation, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access via malicious inputs.
The security implications of this vulnerability are compounded by the fact that it affects sensitive customer data handling processes. Credit card information, personal identification details, and address data passed through the vulnerable checkout parameters create opportunities for financial fraud and identity theft. The error message handling mechanism serves as the primary weakness, where user input is directly reflected back to the browser without proper encoding or sanitization. This pattern violates fundamental web security principles and represents a classic example of unsafe output encoding practices that should be addressed through proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate code-level issues and broader architectural security concerns. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding across all user-facing interfaces, particularly those handling sensitive data. The fix requires sanitizing all user-supplied data before processing and ensuring that error messages do not directly reflect user input without proper HTML entity encoding. Security measures should include implementing Content Security Policy headers, employing proper parameterized queries for database operations, and conducting thorough code reviews focusing on input handling and output generation. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to OWASP Top Ten security guidelines for preventing injection attacks and cross-site scripting vulnerabilities.