CVE-2002-2424 in PHP Reactor
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in PHP(Reactor) 1.2.7 pl1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via Javascript in the style attribute of an HTML tag.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2025
This cross-site scripting vulnerability exists in PHPReactor version 1.2.7 pl1, representing a classic client-side attack vector that enables remote adversaries to execute malicious scripts within the context of affected web applications. The flaw specifically manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input that is subsequently rendered in HTML output, particularly within the style attribute of HTML tags. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and well-documented web application security weaknesses in the industry. The vulnerability is classified as a reflected XSS attack since the malicious script is injected into the application's response rather than being stored in a database or file system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input containing javascript code within the style attribute of an HTML element. When the vulnerable application processes this input and renders it without proper sanitization or encoding, the injected script executes in the victim's browser context. This allows attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious sites, and data exfiltration. The attack vector leverages the fact that PHPReactor 1.2.7 pl1 does not adequately validate or escape user-provided content that is later displayed in web pages, creating an opening for attackers to inject malicious payloads.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to both application integrity and user security. Successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized access to user sessions, enabling attackers to impersonate legitimate users and access sensitive information. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of web applications by allowing unauthorized script execution. Organizations using this version of PHPReactor face potential data breaches, reputational damage, and compliance violations, particularly in environments where user privacy and data protection are paramount. The vulnerability's impact is amplified when the application handles sensitive user data or operates in regulated industries such as finance, healthcare, or government sectors.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability align with established security best practices and the ATT&CK framework's defensive measures against XSS attacks. Organizations should implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent malicious scripts from being executed. This includes sanitizing all user-provided input before rendering it in HTML contexts and applying appropriate HTML entity encoding to prevent script execution. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to a patched version of PHPReactor that properly addresses this vulnerability, as recommended by the vendor and security advisories. Regular security testing, including automated scanning and manual penetration testing, should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in the application codebase.