CVE-2012-5919 in Havalite
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Havalite 1.0.4 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) find or (2) replace fields to havalite/findReplace.php; (3) username parameter to havalite/hava_login.php, (4) the Edit Article module, or (5) hava_post.php in the postAuthor module; (6) postId parameter to hava_post.php; (7) userId parameter to hava_user.php; or (8) linkId parameter to hava_link.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/18/2025
The CVE-2012-5919 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Havalite content management system versions 1.0.4 and earlier. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the application's core modules, creating multiple attack vectors that allow remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of victim browsers. The flaw manifests across several distinct endpoints including findReplace.php, hava_login.php, article editing modules, and various post and user management scripts, demonstrating a widespread failure in the application's security architecture.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows the standard XSS attack pattern where user-supplied data flows directly into HTML output without proper sanitization or encoding. When attackers manipulate the find or replace fields in findReplace.php, or exploit the username parameter in hava_login.php, they can inject malicious JavaScript code that executes when other users view the affected pages. The vulnerability extends to the Edit Article module where article content can be manipulated to include script tags, and also affects the postAuthor functionality in hava_post.php where postId and userId parameters can be exploited. Additionally, the link management functionality in hava_link.php presents another vector through the linkId parameter, allowing attackers to inject malicious content that persists across user sessions.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-5919 is significant and multifaceted, potentially enabling attackers to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of victims, and deface the website content. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple modules suggests a systemic security weakness in the application's data handling processes, making it particularly dangerous as it provides multiple entry points for attackers to establish footholds. Users with administrative privileges face heightened risk as successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive data. The vulnerability also poses risks to user privacy and application integrity, as attackers could manipulate content, redirect users to malicious sites, or harvest cookies and session information.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-facing parameters and form fields. The application must employ strict sanitization of all user inputs before processing or displaying them in HTML contexts, utilizing proper HTML escaping techniques and implementing Content Security Policy headers to prevent script execution. Input validation should be performed at multiple layers including client-side and server-side validation, with special attention to parameters such as find, replace, username, postId, userId, and linkId. Additionally, the application should implement proper authentication and session management controls, and regular security audits should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege and secure coding practices that are fundamental to the ATT&CK framework's application security domain. Organizations using affected versions should immediately implement patches or upgrade to supported versions to prevent exploitation of these persistent security weaknesses.