CVE-2004-1640 in Xoops
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in XOOPS 0.94 and 1.0 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary web script and HTML via the (1) terme parameter to search.php or (2) letter parameter to letter.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-1640 represents a critical security flaw in the XOOPS content management system versions 0.94 and 1.0, specifically targeting cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that enable remote code execution through web scripts and HTML injection. This vulnerability resides within the search.php and letter.php scripts of the CMS, making it particularly dangerous as it affects core functionality components that users frequently interact with during normal operations. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, where insufficient input validation and output encoding create opportunities for attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through two distinct attack vectors that leverage parameter manipulation in the affected PHP scripts. The first vector targets the terme parameter within search.php, while the second targets the letter parameter in letter.php, both of which fail to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into dynamic web page content. This lack of input validation creates a persistent XSS vulnerability where malicious actors can craft specially formatted URLs containing script payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers when they access the vulnerable pages. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that these are core CMS components that handle user-generated content and search functionality, making the attack surface particularly broad and accessible.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-1640 extends beyond simple script injection to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious sites. Attackers can leverage these vulnerabilities to establish persistent access to user sessions, steal authentication tokens, and manipulate user experiences by redirecting them to phishing sites or injecting malicious advertisements. The vulnerability's presence in XOOPS versions 0.94 and 1.0 represents a significant security gap in the application's defensive mechanisms, as these versions were released during a period when web application security practices were still evolving and many developers had not yet implemented comprehensive input sanitization protocols. The attack vectors align with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering through spearphishing and web application attacks, specifically targeting the execution of malicious code through web interfaces.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding measures across all user-facing parameters within the affected scripts. The recommended approach involves implementing strict parameter validation that filters out or escapes potentially dangerous characters and script tags before processing user input. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. Additionally, the vulnerability demonstrates the importance of regular security updates and patch management, as this flaw would have been addressed in subsequent versions of XOOPS through proper security hardening measures. The remediation process should include comprehensive code review of all PHP scripts to identify similar input handling vulnerabilities and implementation of secure coding practices that prevent XSS attacks through proper sanitization of user-supplied data before any output generation occurs.