Cross Site Scripting

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What Does Cross Site Scripting Mean?

Cross Site Scripting (XSS) is the process of addition of malicious code to a genuine website to gather user’s information with a malicious intent. XSS attacks are possible through security vulnerabilities found in Web applications and are commonly exploited by injecting a client-side script. Although JavaScript is usually employed, some attackers also use VBScript, ActiveX or Flash.

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Techopedia Explains Cross Site Scripting

When an XSS vulnerability is successfully exploited, the server application can be seriously exposed to major risks. For instance, users can be duped into executing malicious scripts when viewing dynamically generated pages. Another possibility involves an attacker taking over a user session before its corresponding session cookie expires. In yet another case, innocent users can be connected to a malicious server.

In practically all scenarios, a victim’s system is attacked by using the victim’s privileges themselves. The attacks can then evolve into account hijacking, cookie theft, false advertising and modifications in the user settings of the victim’s account.

One way of mitigating the risks of XSS exploits is by turning off active scripting in browsers. Unfortunately, this also takes away a browser’s capability to execute dynamic websites and isn't a realistic solution for most users.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Specialist
Margaret Rouse
Technology Specialist

Margaret is an award-winning writer and educator known for her ability to explain complex technical topics to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles in the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret’s idea of ​​a fun day is to help IT and business professionals to learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.