CVE-2013-4950 in Machform
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in view.php in Machform 2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the element_2 parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/19/2025
The CVE-2013-4950 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in Machform 2's view.php script that enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code through the element_2 parameter. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. The vulnerability specifically affects the web form management system Machform, which is widely used for creating and managing online forms across various organizations and platforms. The flaw exists in how the application processes user input from the element_2 parameter without proper sanitization or output encoding, creating an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious payloads that can persist and execute in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload and submits it through the element_2 parameter in the view.php script. When other users view the form containing the malicious input, their browsers execute the injected script, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. This type of vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Valid Account Access and T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as attackers can leverage the XSS to escalate privileges or execute commands within the victim's browser context. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic lack of input validation and output encoding, which are fundamental security practices that should prevent such injection attacks from occurring.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-4950 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that compromise entire user sessions and potentially lead to broader system compromise. Organizations using Machform 2 may experience unauthorized access to sensitive form data, loss of user trust, and potential regulatory compliance violations if personal information is exposed through these attacks. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access or local network privileges to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that handle sensitive data. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform session riding, steal authentication tokens, or redirect users to phishing sites that can harvest credentials. The persistence of the attack through stored XSS mechanisms means that malicious scripts remain embedded in the application's data until properly patched, creating ongoing security risks for all users who access the vulnerable forms.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of the Machform 2 application to address the input validation flaw in view.php, implementing proper output encoding for all user-supplied data, and deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block XSS attack patterns. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities, conduct regular security assessments of web applications, and establish proper input sanitization routines that validate and filter all user-provided content before processing or storage. The remediation process should follow security best practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST guidelines for web application security, ensuring that all user inputs are properly escaped or encoded before being rendered in web pages to prevent XSS attacks. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and monitoring for unusual form submission patterns can help detect potential exploitation attempts and provide early warning of security incidents.