CVE-2005-1077 in Apache Distribution
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in XAMPP 1.4.x allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) cds.php, (2) Guestbook-EN.pl, or (3) phonebook.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1077 represents a critical security flaw affecting XAMPP 1.4.x installations, specifically targeting cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that enable remote attackers to execute malicious code within victim browsers. This vulnerability exists across three distinct PHP scripts within the XAMPP suite including cds.php, Guestbook-EN.pl, and phonebook.php, all of which fail to properly sanitize user input before rendering it in web responses. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that permit attackers to inject malicious script code through web forms or URL parameters, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity.
These cross-site scripting vulnerabilities fall under CWE-79, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation, making them particularly dangerous in web application contexts where user-generated content is processed without proper sanitization. The attack vectors leverage the absence of input filtering and output encoding controls in the affected scripts, allowing malicious actors to inject HTML and JavaScript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of these web applications by exploiting the trust relationship between the web server and client browsers, enabling unauthorized code execution and potential data theft.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-1077 extends beyond simple script injection, as attackers can leverage these vulnerabilities to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, manipulate web content, and potentially establish persistent access points within compromised environments. When users interact with the vulnerable applications, the injected scripts execute in their browser context, potentially leading to session theft through cookie manipulation, redirection to malicious sites, or data exfiltration. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations using XAMPP 1.4.x for development or testing environments where proper security controls may be lacking.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of XAMPP installations to versions that address the input validation flaws in the affected scripts. Security professionals should implement comprehensive input sanitization measures including HTML entity encoding, parameter validation, and output filtering to prevent malicious code injection. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to add defensive layers against similar attacks. The remediation process should include thorough code review of all user input handling mechanisms and implementation of secure coding practices aligned with OWASP Top Ten recommendations. Organizations utilizing XAMPP should also consider migrating to more modern development environments with built-in security controls and regular security updates to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.