CVE-2005-4012 in Statistik
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in PHP Web Statistik 1.4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the lastnumber parameter to stat.php and (2) the HTTP referer to pixel.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/14/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-4012 represents a critical security flaw in PHP Web Statistik version 1.4 that exposes the application to multiple cross-site scripting attacks. This vulnerability affects the statistical tracking functionality of the web application, creating potential entry points for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code in the context of users' browsers. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's processing logic, particularly when handling user-supplied data through HTTP parameters.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through two distinct attack vectors that exploit the application's failure to properly sanitize user input. The first vector targets the lastnumber parameter in the stat.php script, where unvalidated input from remote attackers can be injected directly into the application's output stream. The second vector exploits the HTTP referer header processing within pixel.php, which similarly fails to validate or sanitize incoming referer information. Both attack paths demonstrate the application's insufficient data sanitization practices, allowing malicious scripts to be executed when legitimate users view pages that have been manipulated by attackers. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing a reflected XSS attack where malicious payloads are reflected back to users through the application's response.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, deface web applications, steal sensitive user information, or redirect users to malicious websites. When exploited, these vulnerabilities can compromise the integrity of the web application's statistical data and provide attackers with persistent access to user sessions. The reflected nature of these attacks means that victims must be tricked into clicking malicious links or visiting compromised web pages, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in social engineering scenarios. The attack vectors align with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Phishing and T1584.001 for Compromise Software Supply Chain, as attackers can leverage these vulnerabilities to establish persistent access through compromised web applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through comprehensive validation routines that strip or encode potentially dangerous characters before processing. The application should implement proper HTML escaping for all dynamic content, particularly when rendering data from HTTP parameters or headers. Additionally, developers should employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to prevent unauthorized script execution and implement proper parameter validation in both stat.php and pixel.php scripts. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses, with the application following secure coding practices that align with OWASP Top Ten security guidelines. The vulnerability also necessitates updating to a patched version of PHP Web Statistik or implementing proper input sanitization as a temporary workaround until a permanent solution is deployed.