CVE-2014-7183 in LiteCart
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in the search.php in LiteCart 1.1.2.1 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) query parameter or (2) QUERY_STRING.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/30/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7183 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness in LiteCart version 1.1.2.1 and earlier implementations. This flaw resides within the search.php script which processes user input through HTTP query parameters, creating an exploitable vector for malicious actors to execute unauthorized code within victim browsers. The vulnerability specifically affects the handling of the query parameter and QUERY_STRING elements, which are commonly used in web applications for search functionality and dynamic content retrieval. These parameters are processed without adequate sanitization or output encoding, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of legitimate users who access the compromised search results.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input containing script tags or other HTML content and submits it through the vulnerable search interface. When the affected LiteCart application processes this input and displays it in the search results without proper validation or encoding, the injected scripts execute in the browser of any user who views the affected search page. This creates a persistent threat where malicious code can perform actions such as stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or defacing the web application interface. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices and highlights the importance of implementing proper output encoding for all user-supplied data in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent access to user sessions and potentially compromise the entire web application infrastructure. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, or manipulate the application's functionality to serve malicious content to other users. The vulnerability affects the core search functionality of LiteCart, which is a fundamental component of most e-commerce platforms, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by attackers who are not necessarily targeting specific users but can affect all users who perform searches on the vulnerable system. This creates a broad attack surface that can be exploited at scale.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-7183 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user input parameters before processing and ensuring that any data displayed to users is properly encoded to prevent script execution. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution and utilize parameterized queries or prepared statements where applicable. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a classic example of how insufficient input validation creates exploitable conditions. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059.001 for command and script injection and T1566 for spearphishing with a link, as attackers can use this vulnerability to deliver malicious payloads through search functionality. The remediation process should include upgrading to a patched version of LiteCart, implementing proper web application firewall rules, and conducting thorough security testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components.