CVE-2004-1655 in phpWebSite
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in phpWebsite 0.9.3-4 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) CM_pid parameter in the comments module or (2) the subject or message fields in the notes module.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2025
The CVE-2004-1655 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in phpWebsite versions 0.9.3 through 0.9.3-4, exposing web applications to persistent and potentially malicious code injection attacks. This vulnerability specifically targets two distinct modules within the phpWebsite framework, creating multiple attack vectors that adversaries can exploit to compromise user sessions and execute unauthorized commands. The flaw resides in the insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing it within the web application's dynamic content generation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to adequately filter or escape special characters in user-provided input fields. When attackers manipulate the CM_pid parameter within the comments module or inject malicious content into the subject or message fields of the notes module, the application processes these inputs without proper sanitization measures. This creates an environment where arbitrary javascript code or html markup can be executed within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79 which defines "Cross-site Scripting (XSS) - An attacker injects code into a web application that executes in the context of other users' browsers." The flaw represents a classic case of stored XSS where malicious payloads persist in the application's database and execute whenever legitimate users view the affected content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform more sophisticated attacks within the compromised user environment. An attacker could inject malicious scripts that steal cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or even execute additional attacks against the victim's browser or network. The vulnerability's exploitation potential aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which covers "Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment" and T1566.002 which addresses "Phishing: Spearphishing Link," as attackers could leverage this vulnerability to create malicious links or attachments that appear legitimate but contain embedded XSS payloads. The persistence of the vulnerability in the comments and notes modules means that even users who do not directly interact with the affected parameters could be compromised when viewing content that contains the malicious payloads.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-1655 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected phpWebsite versions to address the root cause of the vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout their applications, ensuring that all user-supplied data undergoes proper sanitization before being processed or displayed. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers and proper HTML escaping techniques can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. Security teams should also conduct thorough code reviews to identify similar patterns of insufficient input validation that might exist in other modules or applications within their infrastructure, as this vulnerability demonstrates how poor input handling can create widespread security implications. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of secure coding practices and the need for regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar issues before they can be exploited by malicious actors.