CVE-2005-3959 in FreeWebStat
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in FreeWebStat 1.0 rev37 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) site, (2) jsref, (3) jsres, and (4) jscolor parameters to pixel.php, which are not sanitized before being included in the logdb.html file, and (5) the search key to stat.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/13/2025
The CVE-2005-3959 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in FreeWebStat 1.0 revision 37, a web analytics tool that was widely used for tracking website visitor statistics. This vulnerability exposes the application to remote code execution through malicious script injection, creating a significant security risk for websites utilizing this software. The flaw specifically affects the pixel.php and stat.php scripts, which serve as core components for data collection and statistical reporting within the FreeWebStat framework. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization processes, allowing attackers to manipulate parameters that are directly incorporated into HTML output without proper security filtering.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves four primary attack vectors through the pixel.php script where the site, jsref, jsres, and jscolor parameters can be exploited to inject malicious JavaScript code. Additionally, the search key parameter in stat.php provides a secondary attack surface. These parameters are processed and stored in the logdb.html file without appropriate sanitization, creating a persistent XSS vulnerability that can affect all users who view the compromised statistical reports. The vulnerability classifies under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize user input, specifically manifesting as a reflected cross-site scripting attack that can be executed through multiple parameter injection points. The attack requires no authentication and can be executed by any remote user who can access the vulnerable application's endpoints.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it creates persistent security risks for websites using FreeWebStat. Attackers can exploit these vulnerabilities to steal user sessions, redirect visitors to malicious sites, deface web pages, or harvest sensitive information from users who view the compromised statistical reports. The vulnerability's persistence in the logdb.html file means that once exploited, the malicious scripts remain embedded in the application's output until manually removed. This creates a long-term security risk that can affect thousands of users over time, particularly in environments where the statistical data is publicly accessible or shared with multiple stakeholders. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious links and T1059.007 for command and control through web shell execution.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-3959 should prioritize immediate patching of the FreeWebStat application to version 1.0 revision 38 or later, which contains the necessary input validation fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in dynamic HTML generation. The solution involves implementing proper output encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding for all dynamic content, ensuring that special characters are properly escaped before inclusion in web pages. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls should be configured to detect and block suspicious parameter patterns, while regular security audits should verify that all input parameters are properly validated. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts, and establish monitoring procedures to detect unusual patterns in statistical data that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in web applications and serves as a reminder of the potential long-term consequences of inadequate security controls in widely deployed software solutions.