CVE-2012-6040 in File King Advanced File Management
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in users.php in File King Advanced File Management 1.4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the page parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/20/2024
The CVE-2012-6040 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw in the File King Advanced File Management 1.4 web application. This vulnerability specifically affects the users.php script where user input is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered back to the browser. The flaw exists in the handling of the page parameter, which allows remote attackers to inject malicious web script or HTML code directly into the application's response. When a victim navigates to a maliciously crafted URL containing the injected payload, the script executes in the context of the victim's browser, potentially compromising their session or data.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent web application security flaws. The specific nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79's classification as an injection flaw where untrusted data flows into the web application's user interface without proper sanitization. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1059.005 for Command and Scripting Interpreter - JavaScript, as the attack vector specifically targets JavaScript execution within victim browsers. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in input validation and output encoding practices that are fundamental to preventing XSS attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and defacement of the affected web application. An attacker could craft a malicious URL that, when clicked by an authenticated user, would execute scripts that steal session cookies or redirect users to phishing pages. The vulnerability affects any user who accesses the vulnerable application, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users interact with the file management system. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the target network.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-6040 should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input, particularly the page parameter, by removing or encoding potentially dangerous characters such as angle brackets, quotes, and script tags. Implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection by restricting script execution within the application. The application should also employ proper output encoding when rendering user data back to the browser, ensuring that any injected content is treated as data rather than executable code. Regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit this type of vulnerability, while maintaining current security patches and following secure coding practices that prevent similar issues in future development cycles.