CVE-2007-4899 in Boinc Forum
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Boinc Forum 5.10.20 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) id parameter to forum_forum.php, or the search_string parameter to forum_text_search_action.php in a (2) titles or (3) bodies search.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-4899 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness affecting Boinc Forum versions 5.10.20 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the forum's handling of user input parameters within two distinct script files, creating multiple attack vectors for remote malicious actors. The flaw demonstrates a classic failure in input validation and output sanitization that has been documented under CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in software applications. The affected parameters include the id parameter in forum_forum.php and the search_string parameter in forum_text_search_action.php, making this a particularly dangerous vulnerability as it affects core forum functionality.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when user-supplied data is directly incorporated into web page responses without proper sanitization or encoding. When an attacker submits malicious script code through the id parameter in forum_forum.php or through the search_string parameter in forum_text_search_action.php, the application fails to validate or escape the input before rendering it within the HTML response. This creates an environment where attacker-controlled content can be executed in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or other malicious activities. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects both title and body search functionality, expanding the attack surface significantly.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to manipulate forum content and potentially compromise user sessions. When users browse forums or perform searches, they unknowingly execute malicious scripts that could redirect them to phishing sites, steal cookies, or inject additional malicious payloads. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security model of the forum application, as legitimate users become unwitting participants in the attack chain. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1531 for "Run-time Software Dependencies Hijacking" and T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript" as attackers leverage the JavaScript execution environment to carry out their malicious intent.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-4899 must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The most effective immediate solution involves implementing proper input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied parameters, specifically ensuring that the id parameter in forum_forum.php and search_string parameter in forum_text_search_action.php are sanitized before being processed. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution contexts and employ proper HTML encoding techniques when rendering user content. Additionally, regular security assessments and input validation testing should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future versions. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of the principle of least privilege in web application security, where user inputs should never be trusted and must always be validated and sanitized before being incorporated into application responses.