CVE-2003-1453 in Xoops
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the MytextSanitizer function in XOOPS 1.3.5 through 1.3.9 and XOOPS 2.0 through 2.0.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a javascript: URL in an IMG tag.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2003-1453 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the MytextSanitizer function of XOOPS content management systems. This vulnerability affects versions ranging from XOOPS 1.3.5 through 1.3.9 and XOOPS 2.0 through 2.0.1, indicating a widespread issue that impacted multiple major releases of this popular open-source platform. The flaw specifically resides in the text sanitization mechanism that is intended to prevent malicious code injection but fails to properly validate javascript: URLs within IMG tags. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the security model where the system's attempt to sanitize input actually creates a pathway for attackers to bypass intended protections.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious HTML content containing a javascript: URL within an IMG tag attribute. The MytextSanitizer function, which should filter and sanitize user input to prevent XSS attacks, inadequately processes these specific URL schemes, allowing the javascript code to execute in the context of other users' browsers. This particular vector demonstrates a classic bypass technique where attackers leverage the IMG tag's src attribute to embed executable javascript code, exploiting the fact that the sanitization function does not properly validate or remove javascript protocol URLs even when they appear in image source attributes. The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79 which defines improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically in the context of HTML and script injection.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary code within victim browsers. When users view pages containing the malicious content, their browsers execute the embedded javascript code, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the user interaction level, meaning that simply visiting a compromised page could result in exploitation without requiring additional user actions. This makes it an attractive target for attackers seeking to compromise large user bases through social engineering or by injecting malicious content into forums, comment sections, or other user-contributed content areas.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected XOOPS installations to versions that properly address the sanitization logic. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation at multiple layers, including server-side validation of all user-generated content and proper encoding of output to prevent script execution. The fix should ensure that javascript: URLs are completely stripped or encoded from all attributes, particularly those in IMG tags and other HTML elements that may contain dynamic content. Security practitioners should also implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, though this provides only secondary protection. The vulnerability highlights the importance of thorough security testing of sanitization functions and demonstrates how incomplete validation can create security holes even in systems designed to prevent cross-site scripting attacks. This issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering tactics, as the vulnerability enables attackers to craft malicious content that users will unknowingly execute. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block such attacks, while ensuring that all user input is properly escaped before being rendered in web pages to prevent the exploitation of similar sanitization bypasses in other components.