CVE-2007-2265 in YA Book
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in YA Book 0.98-alpha allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the City field in a sign action in index.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/17/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2265 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the YA Book 0.98-alpha web application, specifically targeting the City field during sign action operations in index.php. This issue falls under the broader category of insecure input handling where user-provided data fails to undergo proper sanitization before being rendered back to web browsers. The vulnerability exists in the application's data validation mechanisms, creating an exploitable entry point for malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content directly into the application's user interface.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the City field parameter within the sign action functionality. When users enter data into this field and submit it through the index.php script, the application fails to properly escape or filter special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This lack of input sanitization creates a persistent XSS vector where attackers can craft malicious payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability is classified as reflected XSS since the malicious content is immediately reflected back to users through the application's response without being stored in the database.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to the application's users and the overall security posture of the system. An attacker who successfully exploits this flaw can execute malicious scripts in the browsers of other users, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. The impact extends beyond individual user compromise as the vulnerability can be leveraged to spread malicious code across multiple users simultaneously, creating a scalable attack vector. The vulnerability affects the application's integrity and user trust, potentially leading to reputational damage and regulatory compliance issues.
The security implications of CVE-2007-2265 align with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in web applications. This weakness represents a fundamental flaw in input validation and output encoding practices that should be addressed through proper security coding standards. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing defense-in-depth strategies including input validation, output encoding, and secure coding practices as outlined in various cybersecurity frameworks. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in the context of the ATT&CK framework where such flaws represent initial access vectors through web application attacks and can lead to more sophisticated exploitation techniques including credential theft and privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective immediate fix involves sanitizing all user input fields, particularly those used in form submissions, by implementing proper HTML escaping techniques before rendering content back to users. Developers should employ parameterized queries and input validation libraries to prevent malicious content from being processed. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks. Regular security code reviews and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities across the application's codebase, ensuring comprehensive protection against cross-site scripting threats.