CVE-2007-2914 in PsychoStats
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in PsychoStats 3.0.6b allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the PATH_INFO to (1) awards.php, (2) login.php, (3) register.php, (4) weapons.php, and possibly other unspecified files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/03/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2914 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within PsychoStats version 3.0.6b, a web application designed for gaming statistics tracking and management. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of user input through the PATH_INFO parameter, which is a server variable containing the path information portion of a URL. The flaw affects multiple core application files including awards.php, login.php, register.php, and weapons.php, indicating a systemic issue in the input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data within the PATH_INFO parameter. When attackers craft malicious URLs with specially formatted PATH_INFO values, the application fails to properly escape or validate this input before rendering it in web pages. This creates an environment where arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code can be injected and executed within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through various attack vectors including crafted URLs, manipulated HTTP headers, or maliciously constructed web requests that leverage the PATH_INFO server variable.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted within the gaming statistics environment where PsychoStats operates. Attackers can exploit these XSS flaws to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, deface web pages, or execute unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. Given that the affected files include login.php and register.php, attackers could potentially hijack user sessions, gain unauthorized access to user accounts, or manipulate registration processes. The presence of XSS vulnerabilities in multiple files suggests that the entire application surface area is at risk, potentially allowing attackers to compromise user data, manipulate game statistics, or establish persistent malicious presence within the application environment.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with the attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 technique for command and scripting interpreter. The vulnerability's exploitation typically follows a pattern where attackers craft malicious URLs that, when visited by unsuspecting users, execute malicious scripts in their browsers. The lack of proper input validation and output encoding in the PATH_INFO handling mechanism creates a persistent security gap that can be leveraged by attackers with minimal technical expertise. Organizations using PsychoStats 3.0.6b should implement immediate mitigations including input validation, output encoding, and proper sanitization of all user-supplied data, particularly in server variables like PATH_INFO. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and patch management to prevent such widespread XSS issues in web applications.