CVE-2004-1213 in Advanced Guestbook
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in Advanced Guestbook 2.3.1, 2.2, and possibly other versions allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the entry parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1213 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw affecting the Advanced Guestbook web application versions 2.3.1, 2.2, and potentially other iterations. This security weakness resides within the index.php file and specifically targets the entry parameter handling mechanism. The flaw enables remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML code into the application's output, creating a persistent vector for malicious activity. Such vulnerabilities typically arise when web applications fail to properly validate or sanitize user input before incorporating it into dynamic web pages.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the Advanced Guestbook's parameter processing logic. When users submit entries through the guestbook interface, the application accepts the entry parameter without adequate sanitization or encoding of special characters. This allows attackers to embed malicious payloads directly within the guestbook entries, which are then executed in the context of other users' browsers when they view the affected pages. The vulnerability manifests as a reflected XSS attack pattern where the malicious input is immediately reflected back to users without proper context-aware encoding.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious websites. Users who view compromised guestbook entries may unknowingly execute malicious code that can capture their browser sessions, steal cookies, or redirect them to phishing sites. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the web application by potentially allowing unauthorized access to user data and compromising the trust relationship between users and the application. This type of vulnerability directly violates security principles outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and can be categorized under CWE-79 as Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The recommended approach involves sanitizing all user-provided input through strict validation processes that reject or encode potentially dangerous characters before processing. Implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection layers against script execution. Security patches should be applied to update the Advanced Guestbook to versions that properly handle user input validation, and administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices as defined in the Software Security Development Lifecycle and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.002 for Command and Scripting Interpreter. Organizations should conduct regular security assessments and input validation reviews to prevent similar vulnerabilities in their web applications, particularly focusing on user-generated content handling.