CVE-2005-4627 in GmailSite
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in (1) GmailSite 1.0 through 1.0.4 and (2) GFHost 0.1.1 through 0.4.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the lng parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/14/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-4627 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw that affected popular web applications during the mid-2000s era. This security weakness was identified in the index.php file of two distinct software products: GmailSite version 1.0 through 1.0.4 and GFHost version 0.1.1 through 0.4.2. The vulnerability specifically targeted the lng parameter, which served as an entry point for malicious input that could be executed within web browsers. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurred when remote attackers could manipulate the lng parameter to inject arbitrary web script or HTML code into the application's response. When legitimate users visited pages that processed this malicious input, the injected code would execute in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability was particularly concerning because it affected widely used web applications that handled user authentication and email services, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise user accounts and access sensitive information. The flaw was classified as a reflected XSS vulnerability since the malicious input was immediately reflected back in the application's response without proper sanitization or encoding.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extended beyond simple script injection, as it could enable attackers to establish persistent malicious presence within affected web applications. Users who accessed compromised pages could unknowingly execute malicious code that would steal cookies, redirect them to phishing sites, or perform actions on their behalf within the context of the vulnerable application. The widespread adoption of these applications meant that a single vulnerability could affect numerous users simultaneously, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on these platforms for email services and web hosting. This type of vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 - Phishing: Email, as attackers could leverage the XSS flaw to create convincing phishing campaigns that appeared legitimate to users.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-4627 required immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should have implemented strict parameter validation to reject or sanitize any input containing potentially dangerous characters or script tags. The recommended approach involved encoding all user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages, particularly for parameters like lng that were used to determine language settings. Additionally, implementing proper content security policies and using secure coding practices such as parameterized queries and input sanitization would have prevented the exploitation of this vulnerability. The fix typically involved updating the affected applications to version 1.0.5 for GmailSite and 0.4.3 for GFHost, which included proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent malicious script injection. This vulnerability highlighted the critical importance of secure coding practices and regular security updates in preventing widespread exploitation of web application flaws, establishing it as a foundational example of how XSS vulnerabilities could compromise user security in real-world applications.