CVE-2004-1594 in FuseTalk
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in FuseTalk 4.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary web script via an img src tag.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/25/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1594 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within FuseTalk 4.0, a web-based discussion forum software that was widely deployed in enterprise and organizational environments during the early 2000s. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of user input within image source attributes, specifically when processing img tag parameters in forum posts and user-generated content. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize malicious script code embedded within image source URLs. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specially formatted posts containing img tags with malicious src attributes that contain javascript code or other malicious payloads. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which classifies it as a weakness in input validation and output encoding, specifically targeting the improper handling of user-supplied data in web applications. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts within the context of victim sessions, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks including phishing campaigns, data exfiltration, or establishing persistent backdoors within the forum environment. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which focuses on malicious content delivery through web applications, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users trust forum content. The attack vector requires minimal privileges since it operates entirely through web-based interfaces and does not require authentication to the target system. This flaw represents a classic example of insecure input handling that was prevalent in web applications of that era, highlighting the critical importance of proper data sanitization and context-aware output encoding. The vulnerability's exploitation demonstrates how seemingly innocuous elements like image tags can become attack vectors when proper security controls are absent. Organizations using FuseTalk 4.0 were particularly at risk since the application was commonly deployed in corporate environments where sensitive discussions occurred, making the potential for credential theft or data compromise significant. The flaw's persistence in the application's architecture indicates inadequate security design principles and insufficient security testing during development phases. This vulnerability serves as a historical example of how simple input validation failures can create substantial security risks in web applications, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security measures including proper input filtering, output encoding, and regular security assessments. The exploitation of this vulnerability would typically involve crafting malicious posts that appear legitimate to users, making it particularly insidious as it can bypass traditional security controls that might not detect malicious content within image attributes. Organizations affected by this vulnerability needed to implement immediate mitigations including input sanitization, output encoding, and potentially disabling user-generated content features until proper patches were applied. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-79 underscores the fundamental principle that web applications must treat all user input as potentially malicious and must properly encode output based on the target context to prevent injection attacks. This particular flaw demonstrates the evolution of web application security concerns and the importance of understanding how different HTML elements can be exploited for malicious purposes. The impact extends beyond immediate script execution to include potential long-term compromise of user sessions and the forum environment itself. Security practitioners should recognize this vulnerability as an example of how legacy web applications often contain fundamental security flaws that require comprehensive remediation approaches rather than simple patching solutions.