CVE-2004-1871 in PhotoPost PHP Pro
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in PhotoPost PHP Pro 4.6.x and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) ppuser, (2) password, (3) stype, (4) perpage, (5) sort, (6) page, (7) si, or (8) cat parameters to showmembers.php, or the (9) photo name, (10) photo description, (11) album name, or (12) album description fields.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/28/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1871 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting PhotoPost PHP Pro version 4.6.x and earlier installations. This vulnerability manifests across multiple input parameters within the showmembers.php script and various photo and album data fields, creating an extensive attack surface for malicious actors. The flaw enables remote code execution through web script injection, potentially compromising user sessions and system integrity. According to CWE-79, this vulnerability falls under the category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing a failure to sanitize user input before rendering it in web responses. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1566 - Phishing, as attackers can leverage these vulnerabilities to craft malicious web pages that trick users into executing harmful scripts.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of specific HTTP parameters and form fields within the PhotoPost application. Attackers can inject malicious JavaScript code through the ppuser, password, stype, perpage, sort, page, si, and cat parameters in showmembers.php, as well as through the photo name, photo description, album name, and album description fields. These parameters are processed without adequate input validation or output encoding, allowing attackers to embed malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script injection, as it can be leveraged to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform unauthorized actions on behalf of victims.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-1871 is significant for organizations relying on PhotoPost PHP Pro for photo management and user interaction. When exploited, these vulnerabilities can lead to session hijacking, where attackers gain unauthorized access to user accounts and potentially administrative privileges. The persistent nature of XSS attacks means that once a vulnerable page is accessed, the malicious script executes in every subsequent user session until the page is refreshed or the browser cache is cleared. This creates a persistent threat vector that can compromise multiple users over time. Additionally, the vulnerability can facilitate more sophisticated attacks such as credential theft, data exfiltration, and the establishment of backdoors within the application environment.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action to address the underlying input validation issues. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms across all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in dynamic content generation. The application should employ proper HTML escaping techniques for all data rendered in web pages to prevent script execution. Security patches or upgrades to PhotoPost PHP Pro version 4.7.0 or later should be implemented immediately, as these releases contain fixes for the identified XSS vulnerabilities. Network-based defenses such as web application firewalls can provide additional protection layers, though they should not be considered a substitute for proper code-level fixes. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications within the organization's infrastructure. According to industry best practices, implementing a defense-in-depth strategy that includes both application-level fixes and network monitoring will provide comprehensive protection against this class of vulnerability.