CVE-2013-5930 in Real Estate PHP Script
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in search_residential.php in Real Estate PHP Script allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the bos parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/07/2022
The CVE-2013-5930 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Real Estate PHP Script application, specifically targeting the search_residential.php component. This vulnerability exposes the application to malicious injection attacks that can compromise user sessions and data integrity. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input passed through the bos parameter, creating an opening for attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws identified by the CWE organization. This particular implementation weakness allows attackers to manipulate the search functionality of the real estate platform and inject malicious payloads that can persistently affect all users interacting with the vulnerable system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the bos parameter in the search_residential.php script, where user-supplied input is directly incorporated into the application's output without adequate sanitization or encoding mechanisms. When a victim accesses a search result page containing malicious code injected through this parameter, the browser executes the injected script within the victim's session context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices and highlights the critical importance of implementing proper output encoding techniques for dynamic content generation. Attackers can leverage this flaw to craft payloads that exploit the trust relationship between the web application and its users, making the attack particularly insidious and difficult to detect.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-5930 extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the compromised environment. Users may experience unauthorized access to their accounts, modification of search results, or redirection to phishing sites that can harvest sensitive information. The vulnerability affects the entire user base of the real estate platform, as any search query containing malicious input can propagate the attack to all subsequent users who view the affected search results. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1566 for credential access through social engineering, particularly when combined with phishing campaigns that leverage the XSS capability. The attack surface is significant since the vulnerability affects a core search functionality that is likely to be accessed frequently by users.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-5930 must address both the immediate remediation needs and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging. The primary fix involves implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in dynamic content generation. Developers should employ context-specific encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding for output displayed in web pages, and implement strict input validation that rejects or sanitizes potentially malicious content. The application should utilize parameterized queries and input sanitization libraries to prevent injection attacks, while also implementing content security policies to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security testing including automated scanning and manual penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities across their entire application portfolio. The remediation process should include comprehensive code review practices that align with secure coding standards and address the underlying architectural issues that contributed to the vulnerability's existence.