CVE-2007-1109 in PhpWebGallery
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Phpwebgallery 1.4.1 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) login or (2) mail_address field in Register.php, or the (3) search_author, (4) mode, (5) start_year, (6) end_year, or (7) date_type field in Search.php, a different vulnerability than CVE-2006-1674. NOTE: 1.6.2 and other versions might also be affected.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-1109 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness in PhpWebGallery version 1.4.1 that exposes multiple attack vectors for remote threat actors. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is a fundamental web application security flaw that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The affected application is a popular photo gallery management system that suffered from inadequate input validation and output sanitization across several key user interaction points. The vulnerability specifically targets the registration and search functionalities of the gallery system, creating multiple pathways for malicious code injection that could compromise user sessions and data integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through several distinct input fields that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing or displaying it within the web application interface. The first attack vector involves the login or mail_address field in the Register.php file where unvalidated input can be exploited to inject malicious scripts during user registration processes. The second and third attack vectors target the Search.php functionality with multiple vulnerable parameters including search_author, mode, start_year, end_year, and date_type fields. These parameters are processed without proper HTML escaping or input filtering, allowing attackers to craft malicious payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects core application functionality that users regularly interact with, making it highly exploitable in real-world scenarios.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, redirect victims to malicious sites, and potentially escalate privileges within the application. When users visit pages containing malicious scripts injected through these vulnerable fields, their browsers execute the attacker-controlled code, which can capture cookies, redirect to phishing sites, or perform actions on behalf of the authenticated user. The attack surface is broad given that the vulnerability affects both registration and search functions, which are commonly used features that generate significant user interaction. Additionally, the fact that versions 1.6.2 and potentially other iterations may also be affected suggests this represents a persistent flaw in the application's codebase that requires comprehensive patching across affected versions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. The primary solution involves implementing robust input validation and output sanitization across all user-supplied data fields, particularly those used in registration and search functionalities. This includes applying HTML entity encoding to all dynamic content before rendering it in web pages and implementing proper parameter validation for all search parameters. Security measures should follow the principle of least privilege and input sanitization practices recommended by the OWASP Top Ten project, specifically targeting the prevention of XSS vulnerabilities through proper encoding and validation. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to provide additional protection against script injection attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices and regular security assessments for web applications, particularly those handling user-generated content and maintaining user authentication systems. Regular updates to the application and implementation of automated security testing tools can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from persisting in future versions.