CVE-2014-4035 in Advance Hotel Booking System
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in booking_details.php in Best Soft Inc. (BSI) Advance Hotel Booking System 2.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the title parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2025
The CVE-2014-4035 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the BSI Advance Hotel Booking System version 2.0, specifically manifesting in the booking_details.php script. This vulnerability classifies under CWE-79 which defines improper neutralization of input during web output, making it a prime example of how insufficient input validation can lead to severe security implications. The flaw occurs when user-supplied data from the title parameter is directly incorporated into web responses without adequate sanitization or encoding mechanisms, creating an exploitable vector for malicious actors to inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript code.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on the system's failure to properly validate and sanitize user input before rendering it within the web interface. When an attacker submits malicious content through the title parameter, the application processes this input without implementing proper output encoding or sanitization measures. This allows the injected script to execute within the context of other users' browsers who view the affected booking details page. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it enables attackers to perform actions such as stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or defacing the booking system interface. The XSS vector operates through stored or reflected mechanisms, depending on how the application handles the persistence of the malicious input.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity and trustworthiness of the hotel booking system. Attackers could potentially manipulate booking information, redirect customers to fraudulent sites, or harvest sensitive user data including personal information and potentially payment details. The vulnerability affects the system's ability to maintain secure user sessions and can lead to broader compromise of the application's backend services. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for script injection techniques and T1566 for phishing attacks that could be facilitated through the compromised interface. The risk is amplified by the nature of hotel booking systems which often handle sensitive personal and financial information, making this vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-4035 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding practices. The system must employ proper HTML entity encoding for all user-supplied data before rendering it in web responses, ensuring that potentially malicious scripts cannot execute within the browser context. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. The application should also utilize parameterized queries and input sanitization libraries to prevent injection attacks, while maintaining proper access controls and audit logging to detect suspicious activities. Security patches should be applied immediately to address the root cause, and regular security testing including automated scanning and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in the system's codebase.