CVE-2005-1027 in PHP-Nuke
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in PHP-Nuke 6.x through 7.6 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) username parameter in the Your_Account module, (2) avatarcategory parameter in the Your_Account module, or (3) lid parameter in the Downloads module.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1027 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting PHP-Nuke versions 6.x through 7.6. This vulnerability resides within the web application's input validation mechanisms, specifically targeting three distinct parameters across different modules. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity. The affected parameters include username in the Your_Account module, avatarcategory in the same module, and lid in the Downloads module, all of which fail to properly sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it within web pages.
This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79, which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is sent to a web browser without proper validation or sanitization. The attack vector operates through the injection of malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, exploiting the web application's failure to implement proper input filtering and output encoding mechanisms. The impact is particularly severe in content management systems like PHP-Nuke where user-generated content and profile information are commonly displayed, creating multiple potential entry points for malicious actors. The vulnerability affects the core authentication and user profile management functionality, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to escalate privileges or steal session information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, deface websites, redirect users to malicious sites, or steal sensitive user information. The three vulnerable parameters represent different attack surfaces within the application architecture, with the username parameter potentially allowing for session manipulation through crafted user accounts, avatarcategory enabling malicious image loading or script execution via avatar handling, and the lid parameter in downloads module providing opportunities for injecting scripts into download-related content. These vulnerabilities collectively weaken the application's security posture by creating multiple pathways for malicious input to bypass the system's protective measures.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all affected parameters. Organizations should implement proper HTML escaping and sanitization of all user-supplied input before rendering it within web pages, following established security practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten. The fix should involve comprehensive parameter validation within the Your_Account and Downloads modules, ensuring that all input fields are properly sanitized to prevent script injection. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers and regular security code reviews can help prevent similar vulnerabilities in future development cycles. The remediation process should include thorough testing of all user-facing parameters to ensure that no additional injection vectors remain unaddressed, while also considering the broader security architecture to prevent cross-site scripting issues in related components. This vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining robust input validation practices and demonstrates how seemingly minor oversights in parameter handling can create significant security risks in web applications.