CVE-2005-1876 in CuteNews
Summary
by MITRE
direct code injection vulnerability in cutenews 1.3.6 and earlier allows remote attackers with administrative privileges to execute arbitrary php code via certain inputs that are injected into a template (.tpl) file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/16/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1876 represents a critical direct code injection flaw within CuteNews version 1.3.6 and earlier systems. This vulnerability operates at the intersection of insecure template processing and privilege escalation, creating a dangerous attack vector for malicious actors who have already gained administrative access to the system. The flaw specifically targets the template file handling mechanism where user-supplied input is directly incorporated into .tpl files without adequate sanitization or validation processes. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-94 category of "Improper Control of Generation of Code" and more specifically aligns with CWE-95 which addresses "Improper Neutralization of Directives in Dynamically Generated Code." The attack scenario becomes particularly concerning when considering the ATT&CK framework's T1059.007 technique for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" and broader privilege abuse patterns within the execution and persistence domains.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate and sanitize user inputs that are subsequently written to template files. When an administrator processes user-submitted content that contains malicious PHP code fragments, the system directly incorporates these elements into the template without proper encoding or filtering mechanisms. This creates a scenario where the injected code becomes executable within the web server context, effectively allowing attackers to execute arbitrary PHP commands on the target system. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages existing administrative privileges, eliminating the need for additional authentication or exploitation steps that would typically be required to gain system access. The injection occurs during the template rendering process where the application writes user data directly into .tpl files without proper input validation, creating a persistent backdoor mechanism.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with complete control over the affected system. Once exploited, malicious actors can perform a wide range of harmful activities including data exfiltration, system reconnaissance, privilege escalation, and establishment of persistent access points. The vulnerability essentially transforms a legitimate administrative function into a weaponized attack vector, allowing attackers to bypass traditional security controls and directly manipulate the application's behavior. From a network security perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to maintain long-term access to the compromised system while remaining undetected by standard monitoring mechanisms. The persistence aspect of this vulnerability is particularly concerning as the injected code remains active within the template files, providing continuous access regardless of system restarts or temporary security measures.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-1876 should prioritize immediate system updates and patch management to address the root cause of the vulnerability. Organizations must implement comprehensive input validation and sanitization mechanisms that prevent any potentially malicious code from being written to template files. The implementation of proper content security policies and the use of secure template processing libraries can effectively prevent this class of vulnerability. Additionally, network segmentation and privilege separation should be enforced to limit the impact of successful exploitation attempts. Security monitoring should include regular checks for unauthorized modifications to template files and implementation of automated scanning tools that can detect suspicious code patterns within the application's template directories. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to the principle of least privilege in web application development, particularly when handling user-generated content within template systems.