CVE-2007-1768 in Mephisto Edge
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in app/helpers/application_helper.rb in Mephisto 0.7.3 and Mephisto Edge 20070325 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the author name field in a comment.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2017
The CVE-2007-1768 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw that existed within the Mephisto content management system version 0.7.3 and its subsequent Edge release from March 2007. This vulnerability specifically targets the application helper component responsible for processing user-generated content, particularly comments submitted to blog posts. The flaw manifests when the system fails to properly sanitize user input in the author name field, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code that executes in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental weakness in input validation and output encoding practices that were prevalent in web applications of that era.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the author name field within comment forms, where attackers can embed malicious script tags or other HTML elements that get rendered without proper sanitization. This flaw falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing a reflected XSS vulnerability where the malicious payload is reflected back to users through the application's response. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows attackers to execute scripts in the context of authenticated users, potentially enabling session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The attack vector leverages the application's insufficient validation of user-supplied data, particularly when the system renders author names in comment displays without proper HTML escaping or sanitization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attacks such as session theft through cookie manipulation, redirection to phishing sites, or even the complete compromise of user accounts if the application relies on browser-based authentication. Users who view affected comments could unknowingly execute malicious code that persists in their browsers, potentially leading to long-term compromise of their browsing sessions. The vulnerability affects not just individual users but the entire community of bloggers using the vulnerable Mephisto versions, as a single malicious comment could impact all visitors to affected blog posts. Security researchers have noted that this type of vulnerability was particularly common in early web applications due to insufficient security awareness and the lack of comprehensive input validation frameworks that are standard practice today.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include implementing proper input sanitization and output encoding for all user-supplied content, particularly in fields that are rendered back to users. The most effective approach involves applying HTML escaping to all user-generated content before rendering it in the application interface, ensuring that potentially dangerous characters such as angle brackets, quotes, and script tags are properly encoded. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against script execution even if input validation is bypassed. Organizations should also consider implementing a comprehensive web application firewall to detect and block malicious payloads, and conducting regular security audits to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation and output encoding practices, principles that are now codified in industry standards such as the OWASP Top Ten and are essential components of secure software development lifecycle practices.