CVE-2001-1521 in PostNuke
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in user.php in PostNuke 0.64 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the uname parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/10/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-1521 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the PostNuke content management system version 0.64. This issue resides in the user.php script where user input is not properly sanitized before being processed and displayed back to users. The specific parameter affected is uname which is used to handle username inputs from users. When an attacker submits malicious script code through this parameter, the system fails to validate or escape the input before rendering it in the web page context. This allows the malicious code to execute within the browser of unsuspecting users who visit pages containing the compromised username data.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or sanitization. This weakness creates an environment where attackers can inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers. The operational impact extends beyond simple script injection as it can enable session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of web pages, and redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no special privileges to exploit, making it particularly dangerous in web applications where user-generated content is displayed without proper security controls.
The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates how insufficient input validation can lead to severe security consequences in web applications. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that appear as legitimate usernames, making detection difficult and increasing the attack surface significantly. The flaw represents a failure in the principle of least privilege and input sanitization, as the application does not properly separate user input from executable code. This vulnerability can be leveraged in conjunction with social engineering tactics to amplify its impact, as users may be more likely to interact with content that appears to come from trusted sources. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it operates through standard web browsing mechanisms and can be executed through simple HTTP requests.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user inputs before processing and ensuring that any data displayed back to users is properly escaped to prevent script execution. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to add an additional layer of protection against script injection attacks. Regular security updates and patches should be applied immediately upon availability, as this vulnerability was addressed in subsequent versions of PostNuke. The implementation of web application firewalls and regular security audits can help identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications. Additionally, developers should adopt secure coding practices that emphasize the importance of validating and sanitizing all inputs while following established frameworks like the OWASP Top Ten guidelines for preventing cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a web application vulnerability that can be exploited for initial access and privilege escalation within affected systems.