CVE-2007-1848 in Drake
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in admin/classes/ui.dta.php in Drake CMS allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the desc[][title] field. NOTE: Drake CMS has only a beta version available, and the vendor has previously stated "We do not consider security reports valid until the first official release of Drake CMS."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-1848 represents a cross-site scripting weakness discovered in the administrative components of Drake CMS version 0.1.0 beta. This particular flaw exists within the admin/classes/ui.dta.php file where user input is not properly sanitized before being processed and displayed back to users. The vulnerability specifically affects the desc[][title] parameter which is used to manage descriptive titles within the content management system's administrative interface.
This XSS vulnerability operates through the injection of malicious web scripts or HTML code into the desc[][title] field, allowing remote attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of other users' browsers. The flaw occurs because the application fails to properly validate and escape user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages. When legitimate users view pages containing the maliciously injected content, their browsers execute the embedded scripts, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection as it compromises the integrity of the administrative interface and potentially the entire CMS system. Attackers could leverage this weakness to escalate privileges, modify content, or gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the content management system's user interface components, undermining the trust model that users place in the administrative dashboard. According to CWE-79, this represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw where untrusted data flows into web pages without proper validation or escaping mechanisms.
The security implications of this vulnerability are particularly concerning given that Drake CMS was in beta status at the time of discovery, with the vendor explicitly stating that security reports were not considered valid until the first official release. This vendor stance created a gap in security responsibility and potentially left users vulnerable during the development phase. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms even in beta software versions. Organizations relying on beta software should understand that such releases often contain security flaws that may not be addressed until official release cycles.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate input sanitization and output encoding of all user-supplied data, particularly within administrative interfaces. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious input patterns. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.008 for 'Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell' and T1566.001 for 'Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment', highlighting the potential for exploitation through malicious payloads. Proper patch management and vendor communication protocols are essential to ensure that such vulnerabilities are addressed before they can be exploited in production environments.