CVE-2005-2074 in PHP-Fusion
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in PHP-Fusion 6.0.105 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a news or article post, possibly involving the (1) news_body, (2) article_description, or (3) article_body parameters to submit.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2019
The CVE-2005-2074 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in PHP-Fusion version 6.0.105, a widely used open-source content management system. This vulnerability exists within the submission processing functionality of the platform, specifically targeting three primary parameters in the submit.php script. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers, potentially compromising the security of the entire user base. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects core content creation features that are fundamental to the CMS operation, making it a prime target for exploitation.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the PHP-Fusion submission handling mechanism. When users create news posts or articles through the submit.php endpoint, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before storing and rendering it within web pages. The vulnerability specifically impacts the news_body, article_description, and article_body parameters, which are processed without adequate escaping or filtering of potentially malicious content. This lack of proper input sanitization creates an environment where attackers can inject HTML tags, javascript code, or other malicious payloads that execute when other users view the compromised content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack vectors including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious websites. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to user accounts, manipulate content displayed on the website, or redirect visitors to phishing sites designed to harvest sensitive information. The vulnerability affects the entire user community since any content submitted through the affected parameters becomes a potential attack vector. Given that PHP-Fusion was commonly used for community websites, news portals, and small business platforms, the potential exposure was significant, as the attack could compromise not just individual user sessions but entire website functionalities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-2074 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected PHP-Fusion version, as the vulnerability was addressed in subsequent releases through proper input sanitization and output encoding. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation mechanisms that escape special characters and enforce strict content type restrictions for user-submitted data. The principle of least privilege should be applied to content submission features, limiting the execution of potentially dangerous code within the application context. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566 related to credential access through social engineering and malicious content delivery. Regular security audits and input validation testing should be integrated into the development lifecycle to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future versions of the software.