CVE-2005-4460 in Beehive Forum
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Beehive Forum 0.6.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) Name, (2) Description, and (3) Comment fields to (a) links.php and (b) links_add.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/10/2025
The CVE-2005-4460 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in Beehive Forum version 0.6.2 and earlier installations, demonstrating a fundamental failure in input validation and output sanitization within web application security controls. This vulnerability exists in the forum's handling of user-provided data through three specific input fields namely Name, Description, and Comment which are processed in two distinct PHP scripts links.php and links_add.php. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws where untrusted data is incorporated into web page content without proper validation or encoding mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers submit malicious payloads through the vulnerable input fields, which are then stored in the forum's database and subsequently rendered in the web interface without adequate sanitization. When other users view the affected pages, the injected scripts execute in their browsers within the context of the vulnerable forum's domain, creating a persistent XSS attack vector. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and specifically represents a server-side script injection scenario where the forum's code fails to properly escape or validate user input before rendering it to end users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it provides attackers with the ability to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability affects all users who interact with the forum's link management functionality, making it particularly dangerous in community-driven platforms where user-generated content is prevalent. Attackers could exploit this to create malicious links that redirect users to phishing sites or to steal session cookies from authenticated users, effectively compromising the entire forum's security posture.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The recommended approach involves implementing strict sanitization of all user inputs before storage and ensuring that any data rendered to web pages is properly escaped using appropriate context-specific encoding methods. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of inline scripts and establish proper input validation routines that filter out potentially malicious content. This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of applying the principle of least privilege in web application development and demonstrates how seemingly minor input validation gaps can create significant security risks that affect entire user communities. The remediation process should include thorough code review and the implementation of automated testing procedures to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future versions of the software.