CVE-2007-5564 in Simple PHP Forum
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in NSSboard (formerly Simple PHP Forum) 6.1 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) HTML tags when BBcode is disabled; or the (2) user, (3) email, or (4) Real Name fields in a profile.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/31/2017
The CVE-2007-5564 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in NSSboard version 6.1, formerly known as Simple PHP Forum. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the forum software's handling of user-provided data. The flaw specifically affects the application's ability to properly sanitize and escape user inputs before rendering them in web pages, creating persistent security risks for all users interacting with the platform.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through multiple attack vectors that exploit the forum's insufficient sanitization of user-submitted content. When BBcode functionality is disabled, attackers can inject malicious HTML tags directly into the system, bypassing the normal content filtering mechanisms. Additionally, the vulnerability extends to profile management fields including username, email address, and real name fields, where user inputs are not properly escaped or validated before being displayed back to other users. This creates a classic reflected XSS scenario where malicious scripts execute in the context of other users' browsers.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-5564 is significant and multifaceted, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts in the browsers of unsuspecting users. This vulnerability can be exploited to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, deface the forum interface, or harvest sensitive user information. The attack surface is particularly concerning because it affects core user interaction points within the forum system, potentially allowing attackers to establish persistent access to user accounts or compromise the entire platform. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple input fields increases the likelihood of successful exploitation and makes defensive measures more challenging to implement.
From a security standards perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The issue also maps to ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers social engineering attacks through malicious links or content injection. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices and inadequate output encoding, both of which are fundamental security controls that should be implemented at multiple layers of the application architecture. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement proper HTML escaping for all user inputs, enforce strict input validation rules, and consider implementing content security policies to mitigate the risk of script execution. The fix typically involves sanitizing all user-provided content before rendering it in web pages and ensuring that the application properly escapes special characters in all output contexts.
This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in web application security. The persistence of such flaws in widely used forum software highlights the need for comprehensive security testing and regular updates to address known vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement robust security measures including regular code reviews, automated security scanning, and proper security training for developers to prevent similar issues from occurring in modern applications.