CVE-2005-1183 in mvnForum
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in mvnForum 1.0 RC4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the Search parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/22/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1183 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within mvnForum version 1.0 RC4, a popular web-based discussion forum software. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting and specifically manifests as a reflected XSS attack vector that exploits improper input validation mechanisms within the application's search functionality. The flaw enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content through the Search parameter, which is subsequently executed in the context of other users' browsers when they access the affected forum pages.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of user input within the mvnForum application's search processing module. When users submit search queries through the web interface, the application fails to properly encode or validate the input parameters before rendering them back to the browser. This allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that contain script tags or other HTML elements which are then executed in the victim's browser context. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages the legitimate search functionality of the forum, making it difficult to distinguish between legitimate user input and malicious injection attempts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement. Attackers can exploit this XSS flaw to hijack user sessions, steal authentication cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. In the context of a discussion forum, this could lead to widespread compromise of user accounts, unauthorized posting of malicious content, and potential data exfiltration from the forum's user base. The reflected nature of this XSS vulnerability means that the malicious script is executed immediately upon the user accessing a page containing the injected payload, making it particularly effective for phishing attacks and session hijacking.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-1183 should prioritize immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through proper HTML encoding before rendering any content back to the browser, specifically implementing the principle of least privilege for input handling. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of inline scripts and other security measures aligned with the ATT&CK framework's mitigation strategies for web application vulnerabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in web applications and highlights the necessity of following secure coding practices as outlined in industry standards such as the OWASP Top Ten and the CWE classification system for preventing such persistent security flaws in web-based platforms.