CVE-2015-1178 in X-Cart
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in cart.php in X-Cart 5.1.8 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) product_id or (2) category_id parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1178 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the X-Cart e-commerce platform version 5.1.8 and earlier. This vulnerability resides within the cart.php script and affects the core functionality of online shopping carts by permitting malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of victim sessions. The flaw manifests through two distinct parameter injection points, specifically product_id and category_id, which are commonly used in URL structures for product and category navigation within the platform. These parameters are processed without adequate input sanitization or output encoding, creating an exploitable entry point for attackers seeking to compromise user sessions or manipulate the shopping experience.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting as a code injection flaw where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding. The attack vector involves remote exploitation where an attacker crafts malicious URLs containing script payloads in either the product_id or category_id parameters. When unsuspecting users navigate to these crafted URLs, the malicious code executes within their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic lack of input validation and output encoding practices that are fundamental to preventing XSS attacks according to secure coding standards and OWASP Top Ten security guidelines.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session manipulation, steal sensitive user information, or even gain administrative privileges if the victim is an administrator. The exploitation chain typically involves social engineering to convince users to click malicious links, or the attacker might compromise the platform's administration interface if the vulnerability allows for privilege escalation. The affected X-Cart versions represent a significant security gap in the platform's defensive architecture, as these vulnerabilities could be leveraged to undermine the integrity of online transactions and user trust in the e-commerce platform. Organizations using these vulnerable versions face potential regulatory compliance issues and reputational damage if user data is compromised through such attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-1178 should prioritize immediate patching of the X-Cart platform to version 5.1.9 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the identified XSS vulnerabilities. System administrators should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application, particularly for URL parameters and user-supplied data. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of defense against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious URL patterns and parameter manipulation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to filter malicious requests before they reach the vulnerable application components. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components, while developer training on secure coding practices can prevent future occurrences of such flaws. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the 'Command and Control' and 'Initial Access' phases, emphasizing the need for layered security approaches that address both the immediate exploitation and broader attack surface management considerations.