CVE-2005-0221 in Gallery
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in login.php in Gallery 2.0 Alpha allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the g2_form[subject] field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/20/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0221 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Gallery 2.0 Alpha web application's login.php component. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly process user-supplied data before incorporating it into web page responses. The specific weakness manifests in the g2_form[subject] parameter which serves as an entry point for malicious actors to inject harmful script code into the application's authentication interface.
This vulnerability operates under the well-established CWE-79 classification for cross-site scripting, where the application fails to properly escape or validate user input before rendering it in web responses. The attack vector specifically targets the login form functionality where the subject field becomes a conduit for injecting malicious payloads that can execute in the context of other users' browsers. The flaw exists because the application does not implement proper output encoding or input sanitization measures when processing the g2_form[subject] parameter, allowing attackers to craft malicious requests that bypass security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent sessions, redirect users to malicious sites, or harvest sensitive authentication credentials. When exploited, the XSS vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts in the browser of authenticated users, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or complete account compromise. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in web applications where users trust the authentication interface, as it can facilitate the execution of malicious code in the context of legitimate user sessions. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through social engineering and T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's data flow. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user inputs, particularly those rendered in web responses, by applying proper HTML entity encoding before displaying any user-supplied content. Additionally, implementing a Content Security Policy (CSP) header can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be executed. The application should also employ proper parameter validation, reject or escape special characters in form fields, and implement secure coding practices that prevent direct injection of user data into web responses without proper sanitization. Regular security testing including automated vulnerability scanning and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other application components and ensure that input validation mechanisms remain effective against evolving attack techniques.