CVE-2012-5700 in Baby Gekko
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Baby Gekko before 1.2.2f allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) id parameter to admin/index.php or the (2) username or (3) password parameter in blocks/loginbox/loginbox.template.php to index.php. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/01/2024
The CVE-2012-5700 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the Baby Gekko content management system prior to version 1.2.2f. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the application's administrative and authentication components. The flaw manifests in three distinct attack vectors that collectively expose the system to remote code execution through malicious web script injection. The vulnerability affects the administrative interface at admin/index.php where the id parameter fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input, and additionally impacts the login functionality in blocks/loginbox/loginbox.template.php where username and password parameters are similarly vulnerable. These attack surfaces represent fundamental security weaknesses in the application's data handling processes, creating persistent risks for unauthorized users to manipulate the web application's behavior and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting as a code injection attack where malicious scripts are executed in the victim's browser context. The flaw operates by allowing attackers to inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code through the vulnerable parameters, which are then rendered in the web application's response without proper sanitization. When users navigate to affected pages or interact with the login functionality, their browsers execute the injected scripts, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized administrative actions. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script injection as it compromises the integrity of the web application's user interface and authentication mechanisms, creating opportunities for attackers to escalate privileges and maintain persistent access to the system.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-5700 is significant for organizations utilizing Baby Gekko systems, as it enables remote attackers to compromise user sessions and potentially gain full administrative control. Attackers can exploit these vulnerabilities to steal user credentials, manipulate content, or redirect users to malicious websites. The attack vectors present in both the administrative interface and login components create multiple entry points for exploitation, increasing the likelihood of successful compromise. According to ATT&CK framework category T1190, this vulnerability represents a web application attack surface that can be leveraged for initial access and privilege escalation. The vulnerability's persistence across different application modules indicates a systemic security weakness that requires comprehensive remediation rather than isolated patching of individual components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-5700 should prioritize immediate application updates to version 1.2.2f or later, which contains the necessary security patches to address the XSS vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-supplied parameters, ensuring that all data entering the application is properly sanitized before processing or display. The implementation of Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide additional protection against script injection attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components, while also implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious traffic patterns. Additionally, organizations should establish secure coding practices that emphasize parameterized queries and proper input validation to prevent similar issues from occurring in future development cycles, as outlined in OWASP's secure coding guidelines and NIST's secure software development framework recommendations.