CVE-2015-4671 in OpenCart
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in OpenCart before 2.1.0.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the zone_id parameter to index.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/02/2022
The CVE-2015-4671 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in OpenCart e-commerce platforms prior to version 2.1.0.2. This vulnerability resides in the handling of user-supplied input within the zone_id parameter of the index.php script, creating a persistent security risk for online retailers and their customers. The flaw enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the application's response, potentially compromising the integrity of the web application and user data. The vulnerability specifically affects the server-side input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize or escape user-provided zone_id values before incorporating them into dynamic web content.
This XSS vulnerability operates through a classic parameter manipulation attack vector where an attacker crafts malicious input containing script tags or other HTML content and submits it via the zone_id parameter. The OpenCart application processes this input without adequate sanitization, allowing the malicious code to execute within the context of other users' browsers when they view pages that utilize the vulnerable parameter. The attack can be executed remotely without requiring any special privileges or authentication, making it particularly dangerous for public-facing e-commerce platforms. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which categorizes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically addressing the failure to properly escape or validate user-supplied data in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive customer information, manipulate transactions, or redirect users to malicious websites. Given that OpenCart is widely used for online retail operations, the exploitation of this vulnerability could result in significant financial losses, data breaches, and damage to brand reputation. Attackers could leverage this flaw to access customer accounts, modify product listings, or even redirect users to phishing sites designed to capture login credentials. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the platform's zone selection mechanism, which is commonly used during checkout processes, making it a particularly attractive target for cybercriminals targeting e-commerce environments.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies including input validation, output encoding, and application updates to address the security flaw. The recommended approach involves patching the OpenCart installation to version 2.1.0.2 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for proper input sanitization. Additionally, administrators should implement proper parameter validation at the application level, ensuring that all user-supplied input undergoes rigorous sanitization before being processed or displayed. Security measures should include implementing Content Security Policy headers, using proper HTML encoding techniques, and conducting regular security audits of web applications. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and the ATT&CK framework, particularly in the context of web application security and user input handling. Organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious parameter values to detect potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process should also include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce regressions in application functionality while effectively addressing the XSS vulnerability.