CVE-2004-1817 in PHP-Nuke
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in modules.php in Php-Nuke 7.1.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) Your Name field, (2) e-mail field, (3) nicname field, (4) fname parameter, (5) ratenum parameter, or (6) search field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/14/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1817 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Php-Nuke 7.1.0 content management system, specifically affecting the modules.php script. This weakness enables malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers, fundamentally compromising the security of the web application and its user base. The vulnerability manifests through multiple input vectors, making it particularly dangerous as attackers can exploit various form fields and parameters to deliver their malicious payloads. The affected parameters include the Your Name field, e-mail field, nicname field, fname parameter, ratenum parameter, and search field, all of which fail to properly sanitize or validate user input before rendering it within the application's output.
This XSS vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration classification CWE-79, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation. The flaw represents a classic reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability where malicious input is immediately reflected back to users without adequate sanitization or encoding. The attack occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input containing script code and submits it through any of the vulnerable fields mentioned in the CVE description. When other users view the affected content or interact with the application, their browsers execute the injected scripts, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects core user input fields and parameters that are commonly used within web applications, making it difficult to predict or prevent all attack vectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can be leveraged to perform sophisticated attacks against the web application and its users. Attackers can use this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, deface the website, or even establish persistent backdoors within the application. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious scripts are executed immediately when users access the affected pages, making it particularly effective for social engineering attacks. Security professionals must consider that this vulnerability affects the fundamental user interaction components of the application, potentially allowing attackers to compromise the entire user base that interacts with the vulnerable system. The attack can be executed through various means including email links, forum posts, or direct web navigation to the vulnerable endpoints, making it extremely difficult to fully contain without proper input validation measures.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-1817 must focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user inputs through proper encoding before rendering them within HTML contexts, specifically implementing HTML entity encoding for special characters. Organizations should deploy comprehensive input validation routines that reject or filter out potentially malicious content, particularly scripts, javascript protocols, and unusual character sequences. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection by restricting script execution within the browser context. Security measures should include regular security audits of all user-facing input fields and parameters, with particular attention to the specific vulnerable fields mentioned in the CVE description. Organizations must also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns, and ensure that all user-generated content is properly escaped before being displayed to other users. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of following secure coding practices and input sanitization techniques as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security guidelines, which directly relate to the ATT&CK framework's T1059.001 technique for command and scripting interpreter execution.