CVE-2005-3264 in Zeroblog
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in thread.php for Zeroblog 1.1f and 1.2a allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the threadID parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-3264 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Zeroblog content management system versions 1.1f and 1.2a. This security weakness resides in the thread.php script which processes user input without proper sanitization or validation mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically targets the threadID parameter, which serves as an identifier for discussion threads within the blogging platform. When users interact with the application and provide threadID values through URL parameters or form submissions, the system fails to adequately filter or escape potentially malicious input, creating an avenue for exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the Zeroblog application. The thread.php script directly incorporates user-supplied threadID values into the web page response without proper sanitization, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code or HTML content. This occurs because the application does not employ proper context-aware encoding mechanisms that would neutralize malicious payloads when rendered in web browsers. The flaw aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities resulting from inadequate input validation and output encoding. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious URLs containing script tags or other HTML elements within the threadID parameter, which then get executed in the context of other users' browsers when they access the affected pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary code within user sessions. When victims browse to pages containing malicious threadID values, their browsers will execute the injected scripts, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. The vulnerability affects all users of the affected Zeroblog versions who view pages with compromised thread identifiers, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users interact with the system. This type of attack falls under the ATT&CK technique T1566, specifically targeting credential access through malicious web content. The exploitation can result in persistent security breaches where attackers maintain control over user sessions, potentially compromising the entire web application and underlying infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-3264 require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding measures within the Zeroblog application. Organizations should implement strict parameter validation for the threadID input, ensuring that only legitimate numeric identifiers are accepted while rejecting any potentially malicious content. The application must employ context-appropriate output encoding when displaying user-provided data, particularly when incorporating values into HTML contexts. Additionally, developers should consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities and prevent unauthorized code injection. System administrators should upgrade to patched versions of Zeroblog where available, as the vulnerability represents a known flaw that has likely been addressed in subsequent releases. Regular security audits and input validation testing should be implemented to prevent similar issues in other application components, aligning with the principle of defense in depth as outlined in security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53.