CVE-2007-0891 in phpmyvisites
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the GetCurrentCompletePath function in phpmyvisites.php in phpMyVisites before 2.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the query string.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-0891 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the phpMyVisites web analytics tool, specifically affecting versions prior to 2.2. This vulnerability resides in the GetCurrentCompletePath function within the phpmyvisites.php file, demonstrating a critical weakness in input validation and output sanitization mechanisms. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious scripts or HTML content through the HTTP query string parameters, creating a persistent security risk for web applications utilizing this analytics tool. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting attacks where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without proper validation or escaping mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when user-supplied input from the query string is directly incorporated into the application's output without adequate sanitization or encoding. When phpMyVisites processes the query parameters through the GetCurrentCompletePath function, it fails to properly escape or validate the input data before rendering it within the web page context. This creates an environment where attackers can craft malicious URLs containing script tags or other HTML content that gets executed in the browsers of unsuspecting users who visit the affected pages. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication or privileged access, making it an easy target for automated exploitation across multiple websites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious websites. Users who visit pages with the vulnerable phpMyVisites implementation become potential victims of persistent XSS attacks, where their browsers execute the injected scripts in the context of the vulnerable website. This can lead to unauthorized access to user accounts, modification of website content, or redirection to phishing sites designed to capture sensitive information. The vulnerability affects not only the immediate web application but also impacts the broader security posture of organizations relying on phpMyVisites for web analytics and user behavior tracking.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-0891 primarily focus on immediate remediation through upgrading to phpMyVisites version 2.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the input validation issues. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities in their web applications, following the principle of least privilege and secure coding practices. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts, while regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date web applications and the necessity of implementing robust security controls as recommended by various security frameworks including those referenced in the ATT&CK framework for web application security.