CVE-2023-3556 in Car Listing Script PHP
Summary
by MITRE • 07/10/2023
A vulnerability was found in GZ Scripts Car Listing Script PHP 1.8. It has been declared as problematic. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the file /preview.php. The manipulation of the argument page/sort_by leads to cross site scripting. The attack can be initiated remotely. VDB-233350 is the identifier assigned to this vulnerability. NOTE: The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-3556 represents a critical cross site scripting flaw within the GZ Scripts Car Listing Script PHP version 1.8. This security weakness resides in the /preview.php file and stems from improper input validation when processing the page/sort_by parameters. The vulnerability classifies under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross site scripting attacks where malicious scripts are injected into web applications. The flaw allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the victim's browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the affected system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied input parameters passed through the page/sort_by arguments in the preview.php script. When these parameters are directly incorporated into the web page output without adequate validation or encoding, an attacker can craft malicious payloads that get executed in the victim's browser. The remote exploitation capability means that an attacker does not require physical access to the system or local network privileges to initiate the attack. This vulnerability affects the broader web application security landscape by demonstrating how simple parameter handling flaws can create significant attack vectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate script execution capabilities to encompass potential data breaches and system compromise. An attacker could leverage this XSS vulnerability to steal user session cookies, redirect victims to malicious sites, or inject additional malicious code that could persist across multiple user sessions. The lack of vendor response to early disclosure attempts creates additional risk as no patch or mitigation guidance is currently available to protect affected systems. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering attacks, as the XSS could be used to deliver phishing content or manipulate user interactions with the application. Organizations running this specific version of the car listing script are particularly vulnerable since the flaw exists in core application functionality that handles user interface sorting and pagination.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate input validation and output encoding measures. All user-supplied parameters including page/sort_by should be strictly validated against expected formats and sanitized before being processed or displayed. Implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution. The most effective long-term solution requires updating to the latest version of the GZ Scripts Car Listing Script where the vulnerability has been addressed. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security scanning to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications. Due to the vendor's lack of response, security teams should closely monitor for any public exploit development related to this specific vulnerability and prepare incident response procedures accordingly.