CVE-2007-4166 in Unamed Theme Se
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in the Unnamed theme 1.217, and Special Edition (SE) 1.02, before 20070804 for WordPress allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the s parameter, possibly a related issue to CVE-2007-2757, CVE-2007-4014, and CVE-2007-4165. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-4166 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting WordPress installations using the Unnamed theme version 1.217 and Special Edition 1.02 released before August 4, 2007. This security weakness resides within the index.php file of the affected themes and enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code through manipulation of the s parameter. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and demonstrates the classic characteristics of XSS attacks where user input is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to other users. The issue is particularly concerning as it affects widely used content management systems and themes that were prevalent during the early 2000s WordPress ecosystem.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the WordPress theme fails to adequately validate or escape user-supplied input from the s parameter in the index.php file. When a malicious user submits crafted script code through this parameter, the vulnerable theme processes the input without proper sanitization mechanisms, allowing the injected code to execute within the browser context of other visitors. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-site Scripting flaws in software applications. The vulnerability's classification as a reflected XSS attack means that the malicious script is reflected off the web server back to the user's browser, making it particularly dangerous for widespread exploitation. The affected WordPress themes were part of the broader ecosystem that was actively used during the period leading up to the vulnerability disclosure.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-4166 extends beyond simple script injection to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks within the WordPress environment. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, deface websites, or harvest sensitive information from authenticated users. The vulnerability's relationship to other CVEs including CVE-2007-2757, CVE-2007-4014, and CVE-2007-4165 suggests a pattern of similar XSS flaws affecting the same theme family, indicating a systemic weakness in the theme's input handling mechanisms. These interconnected vulnerabilities demonstrate how a single flaw in theme development can create cascading security issues across multiple applications. The attack vector through the s parameter indicates that the vulnerability is accessible through standard web browsing activities, making it particularly dangerous for public-facing WordPress installations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-4166 should focus on immediate patching of the affected WordPress themes and core system components. Users must upgrade to patched versions of the Unnamed theme and WordPress itself, as the vulnerability was addressed through proper input validation and output sanitization measures. Security practitioners should implement comprehensive input validation at multiple layers including web application firewalls, server-side validation, and proper HTML escaping mechanisms. The remediation process should also include regular security audits of theme and plugin code to identify similar vulnerabilities that may have been overlooked. Organizations should consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to provide additional defense-in-depth against XSS attacks, though this should not replace proper input validation. This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining updated WordPress installations and themes, as well as the necessity of following secure coding practices that prevent XSS vulnerabilities at the development stage. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1566 which covers Phishing with Malicious Attachments or Links, and T1059 which addresses Command and Scripting Interpreter, demonstrating how such vulnerabilities can be leveraged in broader attack chains.