CVE-2005-1508 in PwsPHP
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in PwsPHP 1.2.2 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) month or (2) annee parameters to the news module, (3) nbractif or (4) annee parameters to the stats module, (5) id parameter to profil.php, (6) mb_lettre or (7) lettre parameter to memberlist.php, or (8) chaine_search, or (9) auteur_search parameter to the recherche module.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/01/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-1508 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting PwsPHP version 1.2.2, a web-based news management system. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's core modules, specifically targeting parameters used for displaying dynamic content. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, creating a persistent security risk that can be exploited across multiple functional areas of the application. The vulnerability affects several key modules including news, stats, profil, memberlist, and recherche, indicating a systemic issue in the application's data handling architecture.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the improper handling of user-supplied input parameters that are directly embedded into web page output without adequate sanitization. Attackers can exploit parameters such as month, annee, nbractif, annee, id, mb_lettre, lettre, chaine_search, and auteur_search by injecting malicious javascript code or html markup that gets executed in the context of other users' browsers. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in web applications. The flaw operates at the application layer where user input flows directly into output generation without proper encoding or validation, creating an environment where malicious payloads can be stored and executed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, manipulate data, or redirect users to malicious websites. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that multiple modules are affected, providing attackers with several potential entry points to compromise the system. When exploited, these vulnerabilities can lead to unauthorized access to user accounts, data theft, and potential complete system compromise. The persistent nature of stored XSS vulnerabilities means that once injected, malicious scripts can affect all users who view the compromised pages until the malicious content is removed from the system.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input parameters before they are processed or displayed, utilizing proper HTML encoding techniques to prevent script execution. Security measures should include implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, employing parameterized queries to prevent injection attacks, and conducting thorough input validation using allowlists rather than blocklists. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, while regular security audits and code reviews should be performed to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. The remediation process requires updating the application to properly sanitize all parameters used in dynamic content generation, with particular attention to the modules mentioned in the vulnerability description to ensure comprehensive protection against similar attacks.