CVE-2005-3955 in Jaws
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in MagpieRSS 7.1, as used in (a) blogBuddiesv 0.3, (b) Jaws 0.6.2, and possibly other products, allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) url parameter to (a) magpie_debug.php and (2) rss_url parameter to (b) magpie_slashbox.php and (c) simple_smarty.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/21/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-3955 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting MagpieRSS 7.1 implementations within multiple web applications including blogBuddies v0.3 and Jaws 0.6.2. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the RSS parsing components that process external feed data. The flaw manifests when user-supplied data enters the application through specific parameters without proper escaping or filtering, creating opportunities for malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of affected users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability operates through three distinct attack vectors that exploit the same underlying flaw in different application modules. The first vector targets the url parameter in magpie_debug.php, while the second and third vectors exploit the rss_url parameter in magpie_slashbox.php and simple_smarty.php respectively. These parameters receive external RSS feed URLs or data that should be properly validated and sanitized before being rendered in web pages. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting weaknesses where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without adequate sanitization or escaping mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it enables attackers to execute malicious scripts that can persistently compromise user sessions and harvest sensitive information. When exploited, these vulnerabilities allow remote attackers to inject malicious HTML and JavaScript code that executes in the context of legitimate users browsing affected applications. This creates potential for session hijacking, credential theft, and the delivery of malware to unsuspecting users who interact with compromised applications. The vulnerability affects not only the specific applications mentioned but potentially other products utilizing the vulnerable MagpieRSS 7.1 component, amplifying the attack surface significantly.
Security mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all affected applications. The primary remediation involves sanitizing all user-supplied input parameters before processing or rendering them in web contexts, with particular emphasis on URL and RSS feed parameters. Applications should employ proper HTML escaping techniques and implement content security policies to prevent unauthorized script execution. Additionally, the affected applications should be updated to newer versions of MagpieRSS or alternative RSS parsing libraries that have addressed these vulnerabilities. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their web applications to identify similar vulnerabilities in other third-party components and implement regular security patching procedures to maintain application integrity. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1566 technique for initial access through malicious inputs, emphasizing the need for robust input validation and sanitization practices across all web application components.