CVE-2003-1146 in Easy PHP Photo Album
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in John Beatty Easy PHP Photo Album 1.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the dir parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2025
The CVE-2003-1146 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw in the John Beatty Easy PHP Photo Album version 1.0, demonstrating how web applications can fail to properly validate user input. This vulnerability specifically affects the handling of the dir parameter within the photo album application, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input sanitization and output encoding practices that were prevalent in web development during the early 2000s when this application was released. The flaw operates by allowing an attacker to inject malicious code through the dir parameter, which is then processed and displayed without proper validation, enabling the execution of unauthorized scripts in the victim's browser environment.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. This weakness falls under the category of input validation failures where user-supplied data is directly incorporated into web pages without adequate sanitization. The vulnerability operates at the application layer where the photo album software fails to properly escape or encode special characters in the dir parameter before rendering it in HTML output. This allows attackers to inject script tags, javascript code, or other malicious HTML elements that execute when the page loads for unsuspecting users. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication or privileged access, making it a server-side vulnerability that can be exploited remotely through simple web requests.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious sites. When a user visits a compromised photo album page with a malicious dir parameter, their browser executes the injected code, potentially allowing attackers to steal cookies, capture login credentials, or redirect users to phishing sites. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that remains active as long as the vulnerable application is deployed, with the attack surface expanding to include all users who access the photo album. This type of vulnerability can be exploited in various scenarios including social engineering campaigns where attackers craft malicious URLs to target specific user groups or organizations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2003-1146 should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user input parameters including the dir parameter, removing or encoding potentially dangerous characters such as angle brackets, quotes, and script tags. Developers should implement strict whitelisting of allowed directory names and employ proper HTML escaping techniques when rendering user-supplied content. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide an additional layer of protection against script execution even if the vulnerability is not fully patched. Organizations should also consider upgrading to newer versions of the photo album software or migrating to more secure, modern alternatives that follow current web security best practices. The vulnerability serves as a historical example of how inadequate security measures in early web applications could create persistent threats that remain relevant in modern security discussions, particularly when legacy systems are still in operation.