CVE-2004-0319 in Ezboard
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the font tag in ezBoard 7.3u allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary script as other users, as demonstrated using the background:url in a (1) font color or (2) font face argument.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/08/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0319 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the ezBoard 7.3u web application, specifically targeting the font tag implementation. This vulnerability exists in the manner in which the application processes user-supplied input within HTML font elements, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of other users' browsers. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize or escape user input that is subsequently rendered in font-related attributes, particularly affecting both font color and font face parameters.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages the CSS background:url functionality within the font tag to execute malicious scripts. Attackers can craft specially formatted input that includes JavaScript code within the background:url parameter of font attributes, allowing them to bypass standard input validation mechanisms. This particular implementation allows for the execution of arbitrary script code in the victim's browser context, effectively enabling session hijacking, credential theft, or other malicious activities. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform session manipulation and user impersonation attacks. When a victim visits a page containing maliciously injected content, their browser executes the embedded scripts as if they originated from a legitimate source, potentially compromising their session cookies and access credentials. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 sub-technique for Scripting, specifically targeting the execution of malicious code through web-based interfaces. The attack vector operates through web browsers that render HTML content, making it particularly dangerous in forum and bulletin board environments where user-generated content is prevalent.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require comprehensive input validation and output encoding practices. Organizations should implement strict sanitization of all user input, particularly within HTML attributes and CSS properties, ensuring that any potentially dangerous characters or sequences are properly escaped or removed. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Additionally, upgrading to newer versions of ezBoard or implementing proper HTML escaping mechanisms for font tag attributes would effectively prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. Regular security assessments of web applications should include thorough testing of input handling mechanisms to identify similar cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that may exist in other components of the application stack.