CVE-2004-2055 in phpBB
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in search.php for PhpBB 2.0.4 and 2.0.9 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary HTMl or web script via the search_author parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/23/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2055 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw affecting PhpBB versions 2.0.4 and 2.0.9, specifically within the search.php script. This issue falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79 which defines improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as cross-site scripting. The vulnerability stems from inadequate validation and sanitization of user-supplied input in the search_author parameter, which is processed without proper encoding or filtering mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code through the search_author parameter in the search.php script. When a user submits a search query containing malicious payload in the author field, the application fails to properly escape or encode the input before rendering it in the web page response. This creates an environment where attacker-controlled content can be executed in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of victims.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable sophisticated attack vectors within the PhpBB forum environment. Attackers can leverage this weakness to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or deface forum content. The vulnerability affects all users who interact with the search functionality, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where forum administrators and regular members share the same platform. The attack requires no special privileges and can be executed through simple web browser interactions, making it highly exploitable.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The recommended approach includes sanitizing all user inputs through HTML entity encoding before rendering them in web pages, specifically targeting the search_author parameter in search.php. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against script execution. Organizations should also consider upgrading to patched versions of PhpBB, as this vulnerability was addressed in subsequent releases. The remediation process should include thorough code review of input handling routines and implementation of proper parameter validation to prevent similar issues in other application components. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input sanitization in web applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers can leverage such flaws to execute malicious code within user contexts.