CVE-2007-0610 in CMS Made Simple
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the mailform feature in CMSimple 2.7 fix1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the sender parameter. NOTE: The provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/08/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-0610 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the CMSimple content management system version 2.7 fix1. This security weakness specifically targets the mailform functionality that enables users to send messages through the web application interface. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-supplied data within the sender parameter field, creating an exploitable vector for malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the application's response. The mailform feature typically serves as a contact mechanism for website visitors to communicate with administrators, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise user sessions or deface web pages.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize or encode user input before rendering it within the web page context. When a user submits a form through the mailform feature, the sender parameter value is directly incorporated into the HTML response without adequate filtering or escaping mechanisms. This allows an attacker to craft malicious input containing script tags or other HTML elements that will execute in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected page. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which classifies improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically targeting the injection of malicious content into web applications. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be executed remotely without requiring any special privileges or authentication within the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling sophisticated attacks that can compromise user sessions, steal sensitive information, or manipulate the application's behavior. An attacker could craft malicious payloads that redirect users to phishing sites, steal cookies and session tokens, or even execute malicious commands through browser-based exploits. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the web application by creating potential entry points for further exploitation. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for scripting and T1566.001 for spearphishing via web applications, highlighting how such flaws can serve as initial access vectors for broader attack campaigns. The impact is particularly severe in environments where CMSimple is used for sensitive content management or where users have privileged access to the system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-0610 should prioritize immediate patching of the CMSimple application to the latest available version that addresses this vulnerability. Organizations should implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms that sanitize all user-supplied data before processing or displaying it within web pages. This includes implementing Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution, using proper HTML entity encoding for all dynamic content, and establishing robust input filtering that removes or escapes potentially dangerous characters. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns, while conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the web application stack. The remediation process should include thorough testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce regressions in legitimate functionality while maintaining the application's core mailform capabilities.