CVE-2007-3426 in phpTrafficA
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in phpTrafficA 1.4.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the lang parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-3426 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the phpTrafficA web analytics application version 1.4.2 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the index.php script and specifically targets the lang parameter, which serves as an entry point for remote attackers to execute malicious code within the context of users' browsers. The flaw demonstrates a critical weakness in input validation and output encoding practices that has persisted in web applications for years, making it a prime target for exploitation by threat actors seeking to compromise user sessions or redirect traffic to malicious destinations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input through the lang parameter. When phpTrafficA processes this parameter without proper validation or encoding, it directly incorporates the malicious content into the web page response. This creates an environment where attackers can inject arbitrary JavaScript code or HTML payloads that execute in the context of legitimate user sessions. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and it represents a fundamental failure in the principle of input sanitization and output encoding that forms the cornerstone of web application security. The attack vector operates through simple parameter manipulation where an attacker crafts a URL containing malicious script within the lang parameter, which gets executed when users navigate to the affected page.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, redirect users to malicious websites, or even steal sensitive cookies and authentication tokens. Users who visit the compromised phpTrafficA application with the malicious parameter embedded in the URL will unknowingly execute the injected code in their browsers, potentially leading to unauthorized access to their sessions or data. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on phpTrafficA for web analytics, as it creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited repeatedly without requiring additional authentication or privileged access. The flaw also demonstrates how legacy web applications often lack modern security controls, making them vulnerable to well-established attack patterns that have been documented for over a decade.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The primary solution involves implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms that sanitize all user-supplied parameters before they are processed or displayed in web responses. This includes validating the lang parameter against a whitelist of approved language codes and implementing proper HTML entity encoding for all dynamic content. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies to further restrict script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security assessments and timely patch management, as this flaw existed in versions released over a decade ago and demonstrates how legacy applications often remain unpatched and vulnerable to known attack patterns. The remediation process should also include comprehensive code reviews focusing on input handling and output encoding practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other parts of the application. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical need for secure coding practices and proper security controls in web applications, particularly those handling user input and displaying dynamic content.