CVE-2007-4874 in SimpNews
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in SimpNews 2.41.03 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) l_username parameter to admin/layout2b.php, and the (2) backurl parameter to comment.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/22/2025
The CVE-2007-4874 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in SimpNews version 2.41.03, a content management system that was widely used for news publishing and management. This vulnerability exposes the application to remote code execution through malicious script injection, potentially compromising user sessions and enabling unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions. The flaw specifically targets two distinct input parameters within the application's administrative interface, creating multiple attack vectors for threat actors seeking to exploit the system's security weaknesses. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script injection as it can facilitate session hijacking, data theft, and unauthorized administrative access to the compromised system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through two primary attack vectors that demonstrate poor input validation practices within the SimpNews application. The first vector involves the l_username parameter in the admin/layout2b.php file, where unfiltered user input is directly incorporated into the application's response without proper sanitization or encoding. The second vector targets the backurl parameter in comment.php, which similarly fails to validate or sanitize external input before rendering it within the web page context. Both vulnerabilities fall under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing stored or reflected XSS attacks depending on how the malicious payloads are delivered. These flaws demonstrate a fundamental lack of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms that are essential for preventing malicious script execution in web applications. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 which describes the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities to execute arbitrary code.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-4874 extends far beyond simple script injection, creating significant risks for organizations utilizing SimpNews 2.41.03. Attackers can leverage these vulnerabilities to steal administrator credentials, manipulate content, redirect users to malicious websites, or establish persistent backdoors within the compromised system. The reflected nature of the XSS attacks means that victims can be compromised simply by clicking on malicious links or visiting compromised web pages, making the attack surface particularly broad. The vulnerability's presence in administrative interfaces significantly amplifies the risk, as successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive data. Organizations may experience reputational damage, regulatory compliance violations, and potential financial losses due to the exploitation of these vulnerabilities, particularly in environments where the application handles sensitive user information or business-critical content management functions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-4874 require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding measures across all application components. The primary solution involves implementing strict input sanitization for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in administrative interfaces where the risk of privilege escalation is highest. Organizations should deploy proper HTML escaping mechanisms to prevent malicious scripts from executing in browser contexts, ensuring that all dynamic content is properly encoded before being rendered. Security patches should be applied immediately to update the SimpNews application to versions that address these vulnerabilities, as the original version is no longer supported and lacks security updates. Additionally, organizations should implement web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads targeting these specific parameters. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components, while security awareness training for developers should emphasize proper input validation and output encoding practices. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that all identified XSS vectors are properly addressed and that the application maintains its intended functionality while preventing malicious script execution.