CVE-2004-2525 in Serendipity
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in compat.php in Serendipity before 0.7.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the searchTerm variable.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/05/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-2525 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw that existed in the Serendipity content management system prior to version 0.7.1. This issue specifically affects the compat.php file which serves as a compatibility layer for various system functions. The vulnerability manifests when the searchTerm variable is processed without proper input sanitization, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the application's response. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in software applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the compat.php file where user-supplied input from the searchTerm parameter is directly incorporated into the web page response without adequate validation or encoding. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that contain script tags or other HTML elements designed to execute in the context of other users' browsers. When a victim visits a page that processes this tainted input, the embedded scripts execute in their browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the victim. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental failure in input validation and output encoding practices that are critical for web application security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform sophisticated attacks such as cookie theft, session manipulation, or redirection to malicious sites. Since the vulnerability affects a compatibility file that is likely used across multiple system functions, the attack surface is broad and potentially affects various parts of the Serendipity application. Users who visit compromised pages may unknowingly execute malicious code that can persistently compromise their browser sessions, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users interact with the same system. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering attacks through malicious content injection, and T1059 which involves executing malicious code through command and scripting interpreters.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective approach is to sanitize all user-provided input including the searchTerm variable before processing or displaying it in web responses. This can be achieved through the use of HTML entity encoding, input validation libraries, or dedicated sanitization functions that prevent script execution in user-supplied content. Additionally, developers should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of inline scripts and restrict the sources from which scripts can be loaded. The fix for this vulnerability required the Serendipity development team to update the compat.php file to properly handle the searchTerm parameter, ensuring that all user input is validated and encoded before being incorporated into web page output. Organizations should also implement regular security assessments and maintain up-to-date patches to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in other components of their web applications.