CVE-2000-0253 is a critical vulnerability found in version 3.0.4 of the dansie shopping cart application, specifically in the cart.pl script. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to manipulate sensitive purchase information by exploiting hidden form fields within the web application. Since the shopping cart relies on hidden form fields to store purchase details, an attacker can modify these fields to alter transaction parameters such as item prices, quantities, or product identifiers before submission. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable without requiring any authentication or user interaction, making it highly accessible to attackers. The CVSS score of 10.0 reflects the maximum severity, indicating complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Attackers can potentially alter purchase data to commit fraud, disrupt sales processes, or cause financial losses. No patch is available for this vulnerability, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild, but the inherent design flaw in handling hidden form fields remains a critical risk. The vulnerability arises from insufficient validation and reliance on client-side data for critical transaction information, a common security weakness in early web applications.

For European organizations using the affected dansie shopping cart version 3.0.4, this vulnerability poses a severe risk to e-commerce operations. Attackers could manipulate purchase orders to reduce prices, change quantities, or alter product details, leading to direct financial losses and potential revenue leakage. Additionally, the integrity of transaction data is compromised, undermining customer trust and potentially causing legal and compliance issues related to transaction accuracy and data protection. The availability of the shopping cart service could also be impacted if attackers exploit the vulnerability to disrupt normal transaction processing. Given the lack of patches, organizations face ongoing exposure until they upgrade or replace the affected software. The vulnerability could also be leveraged as an entry point for further attacks on backend systems if attackers use manipulated transactions to escalate privileges or inject malicious payloads. Overall, the risk extends beyond immediate financial impact to reputational damage and operational disruption.

Since no official patch is available, European organizations should prioritize immediate mitigation steps: 1) Upgrade or replace the dansie shopping cart application with a modern, actively maintained e-commerce platform that enforces server-side validation of all transaction data. 2) Implement strict server-side validation and sanitization of all input fields, especially those related to purchase details, to prevent manipulation of client-side data. 3) Employ cryptographic techniques such as digital signatures or HMACs on form data to detect tampering before processing transactions. 4) Use HTTPS to protect data in transit and reduce the risk of interception and modification. 5) Monitor transaction logs for anomalies such as unusual price changes or quantities, and set up alerts for suspicious activities. 6) Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on e-commerce components. 7) Educate development teams on secure coding practices to avoid reliance on hidden form fields for critical data. These steps will help mitigate the risk until a secure replacement or patch is implemented.