CVE-2005-1613 in OpenBB
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in member.php in Open Bulletin Board (OpenBB) 1.0.8 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the reverse parameter in a list action.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-1613 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Open Bulletin Board 1.0.8 platform, specifically affecting the member.php script during list actions. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of injection attacks and is categorized as CWE-79 according to the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. The security flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts within the context of other users' browsers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the reverse parameter within the list action of the member.php script. When a user navigates to a page that processes this parameter without adequate input validation or output encoding, an attacker can craft malicious payloads that get executed when other users view the affected page. This particular implementation allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML content, which can range from simple cookie theft mechanisms to more sophisticated phishing attacks that redirect users to malicious sites. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental failure in input sanitization practices, where user-supplied data flows directly into the application's output without proper context-aware encoding.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement. When exploited, this XSS flaw can enable attackers to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, manipulate the application's functionality, or redirect users to malicious websites. The affected OpenBB 1.0.8 platform represents a bulletin board system that likely handles user-generated content, making it particularly susceptible to such attacks as users frequently interact with the system's various parameters. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers can leverage the XSS to execute malicious scripts that may further compromise the system or user environment.
Organizations using OpenBB 1.0.8 should immediately implement input validation and output encoding measures to prevent this vulnerability from being exploited. The recommended mitigation strategies include implementing proper parameter sanitization, applying context-appropriate encoding for all user-supplied data, and ensuring that the application follows secure coding practices. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security assessments and code reviews to identify similar injection flaws within web applications. The remediation process should involve updating the member.php script to properly validate and sanitize the reverse parameter before incorporating it into the application's response, thereby preventing the execution of malicious scripts in the context of legitimate users' browsers.