CVE-2005-4551 in SimpBook
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in sign.php in codegrrl SimpBook 1.0, when html_enable is on, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the message parameter to index.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/15/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4551 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the codegrrl SimpBook 1.0 web application. This security weakness specifically manifests in the sign.php component where user input handling becomes compromised when the html_enable configuration parameter is set to true. The vulnerability arises from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data before it is rendered back to web clients, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts within the context of affected users' browsers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the message parameter within the index.php script which subsequently passes this data to sign.php for processing. When html_enable is activated, the application fails to properly validate or escape the message content, allowing attackers to inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code. This injection occurs because the application treats user input as trusted content without adequate filtering mechanisms. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, where the weakness stems from improper input validation and output encoding practices.
From an operational impact perspective, this XSS vulnerability poses significant risks to both application integrity and user security. An attacker could craft malicious payloads that execute in the context of authenticated users, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of victims. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from any location without requiring physical access to the system. Users who visit pages containing maliciously injected content would unknowingly execute attacker-controlled scripts, creating a persistent threat vector that could be leveraged for extended periods.
The attack surface is particularly concerning given that this vulnerability affects a web-based content management system where user-generated content is expected and legitimate. The fact that the vulnerability is triggered by a configuration setting rather than inherent application logic makes it more insidious, as administrators might inadvertently enable the problematic feature without understanding the security implications. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers spearphishing with a malicious attachment, where the malicious content is embedded within the application itself rather than delivered through external attachments. Organizations using this application should immediately disable the html_enable feature if it is not essential, implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and consider deploying web application firewalls to detect and prevent such attacks. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of following secure coding practices including the principle of least privilege, input validation, and proper output encoding to prevent similar issues in other components of the application stack.