CVE-2005-4138 in ThWboard
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in ThWboard before 3 Beta 2.84 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) Wohnort and (2) Beruf fields in editprofile.php, (3) user parameter array in v_profile.php, and (4) the action parameter in misc.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-4138 represents a critical security flaw in ThWboard version 3 Beta 2.84 and earlier, constituting multiple cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that enable remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of affected users' browsers. This vulnerability specifically targets the web application's profile management functionality, creating a significant attack surface that could be exploited to compromise user sessions and data confidentiality. The affected parameters include Wohnort and Beruf fields in editprofile.php, the user parameter array in v_profile.php, and the action parameter in misc.php, demonstrating the widespread nature of the XSS vulnerability across different application modules.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the ThWboard application's user profile handling components. When users submit data through the vulnerable fields, the application fails to properly sanitize or encode the input before rendering it back to the user interface. This lack of proper sanitization creates an environment where attackers can inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code that executes in the victim's browser context. The vulnerability is classified as a classic reflected XSS attack pattern where malicious payloads are embedded in URL parameters or form fields and subsequently executed when the victim accesses the affected page. According to CWE-79, this represents a weakness in the web application's input validation mechanisms, specifically failing to properly escape or encode user-controllable data before rendering it in web pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, and potentially redirect victims to malicious websites. Attackers could craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that, when clicked by unsuspecting users, would execute in their browsers and potentially steal cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive data. The vulnerability affects the application's profile management system, which could contain personal information, professional details, and other sensitive user data that becomes vulnerable to unauthorized access. This represents a significant threat to user privacy and application integrity, as the attack requires no special privileges or access to the application's backend systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The recommended approach includes sanitizing all user-controllable input parameters before processing or storing them, implementing proper HTML encoding for all dynamic content rendered to users, and applying Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution. Organizations should also consider implementing a Web Application Firewall to detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit these vulnerabilities. The fix should involve modifying the application code to ensure that all parameters passed through the vulnerable endpoints undergo proper validation and encoding before being displayed back to users. According to ATT&CK technique T1531, this vulnerability could be exploited for privilege escalation and lateral movement within compromised user sessions, making it a critical target for immediate remediation. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future versions of the application, with particular attention to input handling and output encoding practices across all web application components.