CVE-2007-1965 in Content Management System
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in eXV2 CMS 2.0.4.3 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the set_lang parameter to (1) archive.php, (2) article.php, (3) index.php, or (4) topics.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/18/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-1965 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the eXV2 Content Management System version 2.0.4.3 and earlier releases. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input through the set_lang parameter, which is processed across multiple core script files including archive.php, article.php, index.php, and topics.php. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated user sessions, potentially compromising the integrity and confidentiality of user data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the eXV2 CMS framework. When the set_lang parameter is submitted through any of the affected pages, the application fails to properly escape or filter special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This weakness directly maps to CWE-79, which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a vulnerability where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding. The vulnerability's exploitation occurs because the CMS does not implement proper contextual output encoding before rendering user-supplied language parameters, creating an environment where malicious payloads can be executed in the browser of unsuspecting users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, deface websites, steal user credentials, and conduct further attacks through the compromised user sessions. An attacker could craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that would execute whenever a victim visits the affected pages, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information or complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects all users of the vulnerable CMS versions, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by anyone with access to the affected web application, regardless of their authentication status. This flaw undermines the fundamental security principles of input validation and output encoding that are essential for preventing client-side attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of input sanitization measures across all affected script files. The most effective approach involves implementing proper parameter validation and output encoding before any user-supplied data is rendered in web pages. System administrators should ensure that all input parameters, particularly those related to language selection, are properly escaped using context-appropriate encoding mechanisms such as HTML entity encoding for web page contexts. Additionally, the CMS should be updated to a patched version that addresses this vulnerability, as the original vulnerable versions represent a significant risk to web application security. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional layers of protection against similar attacks. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which describes social engineering tactics that can be employed through web-based attacks, and demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices in preventing client-side exploitation vectors that can lead to broader system compromises.