CVE-2005-1290 in phpBB
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in phpBB 2.0.14 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) u parameter to profile.php, (2) highlight parameter to viewtopic.php, or (3) forumname or forumdesc parameters to admin_forums.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-1290 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting phpBB versions 2.0.14 and earlier, demonstrating a classic web application security weakness that has persisted across numerous platforms and frameworks. This vulnerability resides within the core forum software that millions of users relied upon for community discussions, making its impact particularly severe given the widespread adoption of phpBB in web environments. The flaw manifests through three distinct attack vectors that exploit insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the application's core components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from phpBB's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it within web pages. When attackers exploit the u parameter in profile.php, they can inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers, while the highlight parameter in viewtopic.php allows similar injection attacks that can manipulate how topics are displayed. The forumname and forumdesc parameters in admin_forums.php present another avenue where administrators or attackers with appropriate privileges can inject malicious content. These vulnerabilities align with CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, where the application fails to validate or escape user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. The root cause lies in the application's insufficient sanitization of parameters that are directly used in HTML output without proper encoding or validation mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-1290 extends far beyond simple script injection, creating a pathway for attackers to compromise entire user sessions and potentially escalate privileges within the forum environment. Attackers could craft malicious URLs that, when clicked by unsuspecting users, would execute scripts that steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or manipulate forum content. The implications for forum administrators are particularly concerning as the vulnerability could be exploited to deface boards, inject malicious advertisements, or establish persistent backdoors within the platform. According to ATT&CK framework technique T1531, this vulnerability enables credential access through session hijacking, while T1190 represents the initial access vector through web application attacks. The broader impact includes potential data breaches, reputation damage, and the ability for attackers to use compromised forums as launching points for further attacks against users or the underlying infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected phpBB installations to version 2.0.15 or later, which contained the necessary input validation fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization measures including HTML encoding of all user-supplied content before rendering, proper parameter validation, and the implementation of Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution. The security community's response to this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of regular security updates and the critical need for web application developers to implement proper input validation at all points where user data enters the application. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security audits to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications within their infrastructure. The vulnerability serves as a historical example of how seemingly simple input validation flaws can create significant security risks in widely deployed web applications, emphasizing the need for continuous security awareness and proactive vulnerability management practices.