CVE-2007-1551 in phpx
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in phpx 3.5.15 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the signature in "dans profile," or (2) search.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-1551 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting phpx version 3.5.15, a web-based photo gallery application. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability specifically manifests in two distinct attack vectors within the application's user profile management and search functionality, creating multiple entry points for potential exploitation.
The technical flaw in phpx 3.5.15 stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the application's processing of user-supplied data. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by injecting malicious JavaScript code or HTML content through two primary pathways: first, by manipulating the signature field within user profiles, and second, through the search.php script which fails to properly sanitize user input before rendering it in web responses. This lack of proper sanitization allows malicious payloads to be executed in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of victims.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it enables attackers to compromise the integrity of the web application and its users' sessions. When users view compromised profile pages or search results, their browsers execute the injected scripts, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform unauthorized actions within the application. The vulnerability affects the application's authentication and authorization mechanisms by enabling attackers to manipulate user contexts and potentially escalate privileges within the system. This represents a significant threat to user privacy and application security, as the attack can be executed remotely without requiring authentication or specialized access to the server infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-1551 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. Developers should sanitize all user-supplied input, particularly in profile management and search functionality, by employing proper HTML entity encoding before rendering content. The application should implement Content Security Policy headers to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts and utilize parameterized queries or prepared statements to prevent injection attacks. Additionally, regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 for Phishing and T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, highlighting the need for comprehensive defensive measures.