CVE-2003-1347 in GeekLog
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Geeklog 1.3.7 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) cid parameter to comment.php, (2) uid parameter to profiles.php, (3) uid to users.php, and (4) homepage field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-1347 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Geeklog version 1.3.7, a popular open-source content management system. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's core components, specifically targeting four distinct entry points that process user-supplied data. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of victims' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions within the affected system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through four primary attack vectors that all share a common weakness in parameter handling. The first vector involves the cid parameter in comment.php, where user comments are processed without proper sanitization of special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. The second vector targets the uid parameter in profiles.php, while the third exploits the uid parameter in users.php, both of which fail to validate or escape user identifiers that may contain malicious payloads. The fourth vector occurs through the homepage field, which accepts unfiltered user input that can be rendered as part of the web page content. All these vectors demonstrate a fundamental lack of input validation and output encoding practices that are essential for preventing XSS attacks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant security implications for Geeklog installations, as it allows attackers to inject malicious code that executes in the browsers of unsuspecting users. The attack requires no authentication and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous in web applications where users interact with content generated by other users. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, deface the website, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The impact extends beyond simple data theft, as the injected scripts can manipulate the application's functionality and potentially compromise the entire user base that visits the affected pages.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and follows patterns commonly found in the ATT&CK framework under the T1566 technique for initial access through web application attacks. Organizations running Geeklog 1.3.7 should prioritize immediate remediation by implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all affected parameters. The recommended mitigation strategies include implementing strict input sanitization for all user-supplied data, applying proper HTML encoding before rendering any user content, and upgrading to a patched version of Geeklog. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing a web application firewall to provide additional protection layers and conduct regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of their web infrastructure.