CVE-2005-2488 in Web Content Management News System
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Web Content Management News System allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the strRootpath parameter to validsession.php or (2) the strTable parameter to Admin/News/List.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/30/2025
This cross-site scripting vulnerability exists within a web content management news system that permits remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers. The flaw manifests through two distinct attack vectors that target different components of the application's interface. The first vector involves the strRootpath parameter in the validsession.php script, while the second vector targets the strTable parameter within the Admin/News/List.php administrative interface. Both pathways allow attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML code that gets executed when other users view the affected pages.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web application's processing logic. When user-supplied parameters are directly incorporated into dynamic web page content without proper sanitization, the application becomes susceptible to XSS attacks. The strRootpath parameter in validsession.php likely represents a path traversal or configuration value that gets rendered in the page without appropriate HTML escaping or context-aware encoding. Similarly, the strTable parameter in the administrative interface probably controls table rendering or data display functionality where user input directly influences the generated HTML output.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, manipulate content, or redirect users to malicious websites. In the context of an administrative interface like Admin/News/List.php, successful exploitation could provide attackers with elevated privileges or allow them to modify news content, potentially compromising the entire content management system. The vulnerability affects both regular users and administrative personnel, creating a broad attack surface that could lead to complete system compromise.
Security professionals should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding measures to prevent this type of vulnerability. The mitigation strategy should include proper parameter sanitization, HTML escaping of all user-supplied content, and implementation of Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, while ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1531 - Account Access Removal and T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter. Organizations should conduct regular security assessments and implement automated scanning tools to identify similar injection vulnerabilities throughout their web applications. The remediation process requires thorough code review of all input handling mechanisms and implementation of robust security frameworks that enforce proper input validation at multiple layers of the application architecture.