CVE-2007-1020 in CedStat
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in CedStat 1.31 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the hier parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/05/2025
The CVE-2007-1020 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw in the CedStat web analytics tool version 1.31. This vulnerability specifically affects the index.php script and manifests through the hier parameter, creating a security risk that allows remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content into the application's output. The flaw resides in the application's failure to properly sanitize user input before rendering it within the web page context, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code in the victim's browser. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a critical security weakness in web applications. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and directly impacts the integrity of the web application's output rendering mechanism, potentially allowing attackers to perform session hijacking, defacement, or data theft operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing script code within the hier parameter of the index.php script. When the vulnerable application processes this input and displays it without proper sanitization or encoding, the injected script executes within the victim's browser context. This creates a persistent security threat that can be leveraged for various malicious activities including cookie theft, redirection to malicious sites, or even privilege escalation within the application. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation and output encoding practices, which are fundamental security controls that should prevent such attacks. Attackers can leverage this weakness to bypass traditional security measures and gain unauthorized access to user sessions or sensitive information.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-1020 extends beyond simple script injection, as it represents a significant threat to web application security and user trust. When exploited, this vulnerability can compromise user sessions, allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate users and access restricted areas of the application. The vulnerability also poses risks to data integrity and confidentiality, as malicious scripts can capture user credentials, session tokens, or other sensitive information transmitted through the web application. Organizations using CedStat 1.31 are particularly vulnerable to this attack vector, as the flaw exists in the core application logic and affects all users who interact with the affected index.php script. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or network, making it an attractive target for widespread exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input, particularly parameters like hier, before processing or rendering them within web pages. This can be achieved through the implementation of proper HTML escaping techniques, input validation libraries, and secure coding practices that align with the OWASP Top Ten security guidelines. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the sources from which scripts can be executed, providing an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components, ensuring comprehensive protection against cross-site scripting threats. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of keeping web applications updated with the latest security patches and following secure development lifecycle practices to prevent such issues from occurring in future versions.