CVE-2004-0248 in PHPX
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability (XSS) in PHPX 3.2.3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary script as other users by injecting arbitrary HTML or script into (1) keywords argument of main.inc.php, (2) body argument of help.inc.php, or (3) the subject field in Personal Messages and Forum.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/05/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-0248 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting PHPX version 3.2.3, a web application framework that was widely used for creating dynamic websites and forums. This vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security where input data is not properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages. The flaw specifically targets three distinct input vectors within the application's codebase, making it particularly dangerous as it provides multiple attack surfaces for malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when user-supplied input is directly incorporated into web page output without proper sanitization or encoding. Attackers can exploit this weakness by injecting malicious HTML or JavaScript code through three specific parameters: the keywords argument in main.inc.php, the body argument in help.inc.php, and the subject field used in personal messages and forum posts. When legitimate users browse pages containing this malicious content, their browsers execute the injected scripts as if they originated from the trusted application, creating a persistent cross-site scripting attack vector. This type of vulnerability enables attackers to perform session hijacking, steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or deface web pages.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-0248 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks within the application's ecosystem. Since PHPX was commonly used for forum and messaging applications, successful exploitation could allow attackers to access private communications, manipulate forum content, or escalate privileges within the application. The vulnerability's presence in core application files like main.inc.php and help.inc.php suggests that it could affect fundamental application functionality, potentially compromising the entire user base that interacts with the vulnerable system. This makes it particularly concerning for organizations relying on PHPX for their web presence.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-facing application components. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through proper HTML entity encoding before rendering it in web pages, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 Exploitation for Credential Access. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy headers to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts, employ regular security code reviews, and maintain up-to-date application versions. Additionally, implementing proper input length restrictions and character set validation can prevent exploitation attempts that rely on specific payload characteristics. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of secure coding practices and input sanitization as fundamental security controls, particularly for web applications handling user-generated content and maintaining user sessions.