CVE-2015-0882 in Zen Cart
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in zencart-ja (aka Zen Cart Japanese edition) 1.3 jp through 1.3.0.2 jp8 and 1.5 ja through 1.5.1 ja allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted parameter, related to admin/includes/init_includes/init_sanitize.php and includes/init_includes/init_sanitize.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-0882 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting the Zen Cart Japanese edition e-commerce platform. This vulnerability exists in multiple versions including 1.3 jp through 1.3.0.2 jp8 and 1.5 ja through 1.5.1 ja, exposing users to significant security risks. The flaw specifically targets the sanitization mechanisms within the application's initialization files, particularly admin/includes/init_includes/init_sanitize.php and includes/init_includes/init_sanitize.php, which are responsible for processing user input and sanitizing data before it is processed or displayed.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization procedures within the Zen Cart Japanese edition. When users interact with the application through various parameters, the flawed sanitization functions fail to properly filter or escape malicious content, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript code. This occurs because the sanitization routines in the specified PHP files do not adequately address all potential vectors of attack, creating persistent entry points for malicious actors. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a classic cross-site scripting flaw, where the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic web content.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-0882 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute malicious scripts in the context of authenticated users' browsers. This could enable session hijacking, credential theft, or the redirection of users to malicious websites. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to manipulate the application's behavior, potentially gaining unauthorized access to administrative functions or compromising the integrity of customer data. The vulnerability affects both the frontend and backend interfaces, making it particularly dangerous as it could be leveraged to compromise administrative accounts and gain full control over the e-commerce platform. The persistence of this flaw across multiple versions indicates a fundamental issue in the application's security architecture that required comprehensive remediation.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of Zen Cart Japanese edition, implementing proper input validation at multiple layers, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, specifically targeting the initial access phase through malicious web content delivery. Organizations should also conduct thorough security audits of their web applications, particularly focusing on input validation mechanisms and sanitization routines. The remediation process must include comprehensive testing of all user input handling functions and verification that the sanitization processes properly handle all character sets and encoding methods. Additionally, implementing content security policies and regular security assessments can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in the future, as this flaw demonstrates the critical importance of robust input validation in web applications.