CVE-2005-2818 in DownFile
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in DownFile 1.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the id parameter to (1) email.php,(2) index.php, (3) del.php, or (4) add_form.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/11/2018
The CVE-2005-2818 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in DownFile version 1.3 that exposes multiple web application endpoints to remote code execution through malicious script injection. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically targeting the improper handling of user input within web applications. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize or validate the id parameter across four distinct PHP files including email.php, index.php, del.php, and add_form.php, creating multiple attack vectors for malicious actors to exploit.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing HTML or JavaScript code and injects it through the vulnerable id parameter. When the application processes this parameter without adequate input validation or output encoding, the malicious code becomes embedded within the web page's response and executes in the context of other users' browsers. This creates a persistent threat where legitimate users who view affected pages become victims of the injected scripts, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by its presence across multiple endpoints, increasing the attack surface and providing multiple opportunities for successful exploitation.
The operational implications of CVE-2005-2818 extend beyond simple script injection, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity and security of user sessions within the DownFile application. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal cookies, modify user data, or redirect users to phishing sites that mimic the legitimate application interface. The vulnerability's presence in email.php suggests potential compromise of email functionality, while the inclusion of index.php, del.php, and add_form.php indicates threats to core application operations including file management and user interface elements. This creates a comprehensive attack surface that can be leveraged for both passive surveillance and active exploitation of user sessions.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability must address the root cause of insufficient input validation and output encoding across all affected endpoints. Organizations should implement strict parameter validation that rejects or sanitizes potentially malicious input before processing, particularly focusing on the id parameter across all four vulnerable files. The recommended defense-in-depth approach includes implementing Content Security Policy headers, encoding output data before rendering, and employing proper input sanitization techniques that prevent HTML and JavaScript code from being executed in user contexts. Additionally, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices that align with OWASP Top Ten security guidelines and ATT&CK framework categories related to web application exploitation techniques. Regular security audits and input validation testing should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future versions of the application.