CVE-2003-0614 in Gallery
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in search.php of Gallery 1.1 through 1.3.4 allows remote attackers to insert arbitrary web script via the searchstring parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-0614 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw affecting the Gallery web application version 1.1 through 1.3.4. This security weakness resides within the search.php script component of the Gallery system, which is widely used for managing and displaying digital photo collections on web servers. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input submitted through the searchstring parameter, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts into the application's response. This particular flaw falls under the category of CWE-79, which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as cross-site scripting attacks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing script code and submits it through the searchstring parameter of the search.php endpoint. When the Gallery application processes this input without adequate sanitization or encoding, the malicious script becomes embedded within the web page response and executes in the context of other users' browsers who subsequently view the affected search results. This type of vulnerability enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of web pages, and redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability affects the entire user base of Gallery installations, as any user who views search results containing the malicious payload becomes a potential victim of the XSS attack.
The operational impact of CVE-2003-0614 extends beyond simple script injection, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity and security of the Gallery application's user interactions. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, potentially gaining unauthorized access to user accounts and administrative privileges within the Gallery system. The vulnerability also enables attackers to modify the content displayed to other users, which can result in reputational damage and potential data loss. Given that Gallery applications often contain sensitive user-generated content and personal photo collections, the compromise of such systems can lead to privacy violations and unauthorized access to private information. This vulnerability particularly affects web applications that rely on user-generated content and search functionality, making it a significant concern for organizations using Gallery for photo sharing and management.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2003-0614 must focus on input validation and output encoding to prevent the execution of malicious scripts within the Gallery application. The most effective remediation involves implementing proper sanitization of all user input, particularly the searchstring parameter, through the use of input validation libraries or built-in encoding functions that ensure special characters are properly escaped before being rendered in web pages. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to add an additional layer of protection against script execution. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001, which describes the use of command and scripting interpreters, and demonstrates how web application vulnerabilities can be exploited to establish persistent access to target systems. System administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious search queries that may indicate attempted exploitation of this vulnerability. Regular updates and patches to Gallery versions beyond 1.3.4 are essential to prevent exploitation of this known vulnerability.