CVE-2005-2057 in UBB.Threads
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Infopop UBB.Threads before 6.5.2 Beta allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) Searchpage parameter to dosearch.php, (2) Number, (3) what, or (4) page parameter to newreply.php, (5) Number, (6) Board, or (7) what parameter to showprofile.php, (8) fpart or (9) page parameter to showflat.php, or (10) like parameter to showmembers.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/14/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-2057 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Infopop UBB.Threads version 6.5.1 and earlier. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The affected software is a bulletin board system that facilitates online discussion forums, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to exploit user interactions and trust relationships within the platform.
The technical flaw manifests through multiple injection points across different PHP scripts within the UBB.Threads application. Attackers can exploit these vulnerabilities by manipulating parameters in several key files including dosearch.php, newreply.php, showprofile.php, showflat.php, and showmembers.php. Specifically, the vulnerable parameters include Searchpage in dosearch.php, Number, what, and page in newreply.php, Number, Board, and what in showprofile.php, fpart and page in showflat.php, and like in showmembers.php. These parameters are processed without proper input validation or output encoding, creating opportunities for malicious script injection.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code in the context of affected users' browsers. This means that when legitimate users browse the forum, they could unknowingly execute malicious code that might steal session cookies, redirect them to phishing sites, or perform actions on their behalf. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the bulletin board system, potentially compromising user accounts, stealing sensitive information, and enabling further attacks on the platform and its users. The widespread nature of the vulnerability across multiple scripts increases the attack surface and makes it easier for adversaries to find a working exploitation vector.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate upgrading to Infopop UBB.Threads version 6.5.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address these XSS flaws. Additionally, administrators should implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-controllable parameters. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments and input validation reviews to identify similar vulnerabilities in their web applications. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which involves the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities for initial access, and T1584.002 which covers the development of web shell capabilities through exploitation of such flaws. The security community should recognize this as a classic example of insufficient input sanitization that violates fundamental web security principles and should be addressed through comprehensive application security hardening practices.