CVE-2005-1695 in PostNuke
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in the RSS module in PostNuke 0.750 and 0.760RC2 and RC3 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) rss_url parameter to magpie_slashbox.php, or the url parameter to (2) magpie_simple.php or (3) magpie_debug.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/07/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-1695 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness affecting the RSS module of PostNuke content management systems version 0.750 and 0.760RC2 and RC3. This flaw exists within the handling of external RSS feed data and demonstrates a classic input validation failure that enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts into vulnerable web pages. The vulnerability specifically targets three distinct PHP scripts within the RSS module: magpie_slashbox.php, magpie_simple.php, and magpie_debug.php, each accepting different parameter names for the injection vector.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through improper sanitization of user-supplied input parameters. Attackers can manipulate the rss_url parameter in magpie_slashbox.php or the url parameter in the other two affected scripts to inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code. When these scripts process the unvalidated input and display it within the web page context, the injected code executes in the victim's browser with the privileges of the affected user. This behavior directly aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding, and represents a fundamental failure in secure coding practices for web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious sites, and data exfiltration. An attacker could craft malicious RSS feeds that, when processed by the vulnerable PostNuke installation, would execute scripts in the context of logged-in users with administrative privileges. This creates a significant risk for organizations using these outdated CMS versions, as the vulnerability can be exploited without requiring authentication or special privileges. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that RSS feeds are commonly used for automated content aggregation and display, making the exploitation vectors both persistent and difficult to detect.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through spearphishing attachments and T1059.001 for command and control through script injection. The lack of proper input validation and output encoding in the RSS processing modules creates a persistent attack vector that can be leveraged for extended campaigns. Organizations should consider implementing comprehensive security measures including input validation, output encoding, and regular security updates to address this vulnerability. The recommended mitigation strategies include immediate patching of affected PostNuke versions, implementation of web application firewalls, and regular security assessments to identify similar input validation weaknesses in other components of the system architecture.