CVE-2007-3579 in PHPIDS
Summary
by MITRE
PHPIDS before 20070703 does not properly handle setting the .text property of a SCRIPT element before its attachment to the DOM, which allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/25/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-3579 represents a classic cross-site scripting weakness within the PHPIDS (PHP Intrusion Detection System) framework prior to version 20070703. This flaw specifically targets the improper handling of the .text property of SCRIPT elements during the DOM manipulation process, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts on vulnerable systems. The issue stems from insufficient validation and sanitization of script content before it is processed within the intrusion detection system's defensive mechanisms.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the flawed implementation of DOM element property handling within PHPIDS's codebase. When a SCRIPT element's .text property is set before the element is properly attached to the Document Object Model, the system fails to adequately sanitize or validate the content being injected. This creates a window of opportunity where attackers can craft malicious script payloads that bypass the intrusion detection system's normal protective measures. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of client-side script execution and server-side security monitoring, where the IDS itself becomes compromised by its own defensive mechanisms.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to web applications that rely on PHPIDS for security monitoring. Attackers can exploit this weakness to inject malicious scripts that may execute in the context of legitimate users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the web application. The impact extends beyond simple XSS attacks as the compromised IDS framework may fail to detect or alert on subsequent malicious activities, creating a false sense of security for system administrators. This vulnerability particularly affects web applications where PHPIDS is deployed as a security monitoring layer, potentially undermining the entire security posture of the application ecosystem.
The remediation strategy for this vulnerability requires immediate upgrading to PHPIDS version 20070703 or later, which contains the necessary patches to properly handle SCRIPT element property assignments. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures including comprehensive input validation, output encoding, and regular security audits of their intrusion detection systems. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting) and represents a specific implementation flaw that could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript) when exploited in targeted attacks. Security teams should conduct thorough assessments of their current IDS configurations to ensure no other similar DOM manipulation vulnerabilities exist within their security infrastructure, as this type of flaw often indicates broader issues with input sanitization practices that may affect other components of the security architecture.