CVE-2004-2020 in PHP-Nuke
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Php-Nuke 6.x through 7.3 allow remote attackers inject arbitrary HTML or web script into the (1) optionbox parameter in the News module, (2) date parameter in the Statistics module, (3) year, month, and month_1 parameters in the Stories_Archive module, (4) mode, order, and thold parameters in the Surveys module, or (5) a SQL statement to index.php, as processed by mainfile.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/25/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-2020 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness affecting Php-Nuke versions 6.x through 7.3, categorized under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities. This flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious HTML or web scripts into various parameters across different modules of the content management system, creating a significant attack surface that could compromise user sessions and data integrity. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Php-Nuke framework, particularly in how it processes user-supplied data through the mainfile.php component that serves as the central processing hub for all requests.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through multiple attack vectors that target specific parameters within different modules of the Php-Nuke system. In the News module, the optionbox parameter provides an entry point for attackers to inject malicious scripts that can execute within the context of other users' browsers. The Statistics module's date parameter offers another vector where crafted input can lead to script injection, while the Stories_Archive module presents three vulnerable parameters including year, month, and month_1 that can be manipulated to execute malicious code. The Surveys module adds additional risk through mode, order, and thold parameters, while the most critical vector involves direct SQL statement injection into index.php that gets processed by mainfile.php, potentially allowing for more sophisticated attacks including database manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal user credentials, deface websites, or redirect users to malicious sites. According to ATT&CK framework methodology, this vulnerability maps to T1059.002 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566.001 for spearphishing attachment, as attackers can leverage these XSS vectors to deliver malicious payloads that compromise user systems. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations using older versions of Php-Nuke where input sanitization mechanisms are inadequate, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to sensitive information or system resources. The widespread nature of the affected versions means that numerous websites running these legacy systems remain vulnerable to exploitation, creating a substantial risk profile for organizations relying on outdated content management platforms.
Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies including immediate patching of affected Php-Nuke versions, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and prevent XSS attacks. The remediation approach should focus on sanitizing all user inputs across all modules, implementing Content Security Policy headers, and conducting regular security audits of web applications. Additionally, organizations must ensure that their security monitoring systems are configured to detect suspicious parameter values that could indicate attempted XSS exploitation, particularly targeting the specific vulnerable parameters mentioned in the vulnerability description. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing robust security controls to prevent attackers from exploiting known weaknesses in content management systems.