CVE-2004-2261 in e107
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in e107 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary script or HTML via the "login name/author" field in the (1) news submit or (2) article submit functions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/11/2019
The CVE-2004-2261 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the e107 content management system that was widely exploited between 2004 and 2005. This vulnerability specifically targets the user input validation mechanisms within the news submission and article submission functions, creating a persistent security weakness that allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary script code into the system. The flaw exists in the way the application processes user-supplied data in the login name or author field, which is then rendered back to other users without proper sanitization or encoding. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a code injection attack that occurs when untrusted data is incorporated into web page content without proper validation or encoding.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker submits malicious code through the news or article submission forms using the author/login name field. When the system processes this input, it fails to properly escape or sanitize the data before displaying it in the web interface, allowing the injected script to execute in the browsers of other users who view the submitted content. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it leverages legitimate user submission functions, making it difficult to distinguish between benign and malicious content at the application level. This vulnerability can be exploited to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious websites, or even execute more sophisticated attacks such as defacement of the website or data exfiltration.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-2261 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can lead to complete compromise of user sessions and potential data breaches within the e107 system. When attackers successfully exploit this vulnerability, they can hijack user sessions, particularly those of administrators, which could result in complete system takeover. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of content management by allowing persistent malicious code execution within the application's user interface, potentially leading to unauthorized modifications of website content, user data manipulation, and establishment of backdoors for continued access. Organizations using vulnerable e107 versions were particularly at risk because the attack could be executed through legitimate user submission processes, making it challenging to detect and prevent without proper input validation measures.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms within the e107 application. The recommended approach involves implementing strict validation of all user inputs in submission forms, particularly in fields that are later displayed to other users, along with proper HTML entity encoding of output data to prevent script execution. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities, employ web application firewalls to detect and block malicious input patterns, and conduct regular security audits of input validation mechanisms. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 for Phishing and T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, emphasizing the need for robust application security controls that prevent injection attacks through user-facing interfaces. Additionally, system administrators should ensure all e107 installations are updated to patched versions that address this specific vulnerability, as the flaw was remediated through proper input sanitization procedures in subsequent releases of the CMS.