CVE-2004-2007 in Nukejokes
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in modules.php in NukeJokes 1.7 and 2 Beta allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary HTML or web script via the (1) cat parameter in a CatView function or (2) jokeid parameter in a JokeView function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2007 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the NukeJokes content management system version 1.7 and 2 Beta. This security weakness resides within the modules.php file and specifically affects two distinct input parameters that control the display of categorized jokes and individual joke views. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the CatView and JokeView functions. When users navigate to pages that utilize the cat parameter for category viewing or the jokeid parameter for specific joke display, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamic web content. This insufficient sanitization creates an opening for attackers to inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code that executes in the victim's browser when the affected page loads. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which classifies it as a failure to sanitize input, specifically targeting the improper handling of user-supplied data in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling sophisticated attacks such as session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious websites. An attacker could craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that would execute whenever a victim clicks on a link or visits a compromised page. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it leverages the legitimate application functionality, making it difficult for users to distinguish between normal and malicious content. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which describes the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities for initial access and persistence.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding measures. The system should employ strict parameter validation to reject or sanitize any input containing HTML tags or JavaScript code before processing. Additionally, proper HTML entity encoding must be implemented when displaying user-supplied content to prevent script execution. Security patches should be applied to update the NukeJokes application to versions that address this flaw, and administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. Regular security audits and input validation testing should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other application components, particularly those handling user-generated content or dynamic parameter processing.