CVE-2005-0777 in PhotoPost PHP Pro
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in PhotoPost PHP 5.0 RC3 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the check_tags function or (2) the editbio field in the user profile.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/06/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0777 represents a critical security flaw in PhotoPost PHP version 5.0 RC3 that exposes the application to multiple cross-site scripting attacks. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's core functions, specifically targeting two distinct entry points that process user-supplied data. The presence of these XSS vulnerabilities fundamentally undermines the application's security posture by creating persistent attack vectors that can be exploited by remote adversaries without requiring any privileged access or authentication credentials.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through two primary attack vectors within the PhotoPost PHP application. The first vector involves the check_tags function, which fails to properly sanitize user input before processing and rendering content, allowing malicious scripts to be injected and executed within the context of other users' browsers. The second vector targets the editbio field in user profiles, where user-generated content is directly incorporated into the application's output without adequate sanitization measures. Both attack paths demonstrate a classic lack of proper output encoding and input validation that enables attackers to inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code that executes in the victim's browser context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it creates persistent threats that can compromise user sessions and facilitate more sophisticated attacks. When exploited, these XSS vulnerabilities can enable attackers to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, modify content displayed to other users, or even execute arbitrary commands within the victim's browser environment. The remote nature of these attacks means that threat actors can exploit them from anywhere on the internet, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous for web applications that host user-generated content and maintain user profiles.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and it maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for social engineering and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the application's defense-in-depth strategy, where proper input validation should have been implemented at multiple layers of the application architecture. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement proper output encoding for all user-supplied content, implement comprehensive input validation routines, and consider deploying web application firewalls to mitigate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include thorough code review of the check_tags function and user profile handling mechanisms, along with implementing proper sanitization routines that prevent malicious code injection while preserving legitimate functionality.