CVE-2002-0328 in Ikonboard
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability in Ikonboard 3.0.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary script as other Ikonboard users and steal cookies via Javascript in an IMG tag.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0328 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Ikonboard version 3.0.1, a web-based discussion forum software that was widely deployed in the early 2000s. This vulnerability resides in the application's failure to properly sanitize user input, specifically when processing HTML content submitted through forum posts and user profiles. The flaw enables malicious actors to inject malicious JavaScript code into the application's output, creating a persistent security risk that affects all users interacting with the vulnerable system. The vulnerability operates by exploiting the application's insufficient validation of image source attributes, allowing attackers to craft malicious img tags containing javascript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's improper handling of user-supplied data within HTML contexts. When Ikonboard processes user-generated content containing image tags, it fails to adequately escape or filter special characters that could be interpreted as executable javascript code. Attackers can craft malicious img tags with javascript: URLs in the src attribute or utilize event handlers such as onclick or onload that trigger malicious code execution when the image is rendered in a user's browser. This particular variant of XSS allows for cookie theft through the execution of javascript that can access document.cookie and transmit this sensitive information to attacker-controlled servers. The vulnerability is classified as a classic reflected XSS issue where the malicious payload is embedded within the application's output rather than being stored on the server, making it particularly dangerous for persistent attacks against forum users.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-0328 extends far beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to fully compromise user sessions and steal authentication tokens. When victims view malicious posts containing the crafted img tags, their browsers execute the embedded javascript code which can steal session cookies, redirect them to malicious sites, or perform actions on their behalf without their knowledge. This vulnerability directly enables session hijacking attacks that can lead to complete account takeover, allowing attackers to post malicious content, access private messages, and potentially escalate privileges within the forum environment. The attack vector is particularly insidious because it requires minimal user interaction beyond viewing the malicious content, making it an effective method for mass compromise of forum users. The vulnerability affects the core authentication and authorization mechanisms of the application, undermining the security model that protects user sessions and private communications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar issues. The primary fix involves implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms that properly escape special characters in user-supplied content before rendering it in HTML contexts. This approach aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as a fundamental weakness in input validation and output encoding. Security practitioners should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution contexts and prevent unauthorized code injection. Additionally, the application should sanitize all user-generated content by removing or encoding potentially dangerous HTML attributes and event handlers. Organizations should also consider implementing Web Application Firewalls to detect and block suspicious content patterns, and establish regular security testing procedures to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications. The remediation process should include thorough code reviews focusing on HTML output generation and user input handling, following established security development lifecycle practices to prevent similar issues in future releases. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input sanitization and output encoding as fundamental security controls in web applications, as recommended by the ATT&CK framework's application layer exploitation techniques.