CVE-2007-5980 in eggblog
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in home/rss.php in eggblog before 3.1.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the PATH_INFO (PHP_SELF).
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/11/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-5980 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw in the eggblog content management system prior to version 3.1.1. This security weakness resides in the home/rss.php script and specifically exploits how the application handles input through the PATH_INFO parameter, which corresponds to PHP_SELF in the web server environment. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML code into the application's output, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity. The exploitation occurs when user-supplied input that is not properly sanitized is directly incorporated into the RSS feed output without adequate validation or encoding measures.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from improper input handling within the eggblog application's RSS feed generation functionality. When the application processes the PATH_INFO parameter through PHP_SELF, it fails to sanitize or encode the input before including it in the generated RSS output. This creates an environment where malicious actors can craft URLs containing script tags or other HTML content that gets executed in the browsers of unsuspecting users who view the affected RSS feed. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which categorizes improper neutralization of input during web output, specifically targeting cross-site scripting attacks that occur when untrusted data is embedded into web pages without proper sanitization.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to both end users and system administrators. Users who access the compromised RSS feed may have their browser sessions hijacked, potentially leading to unauthorized access to their accounts or the execution of malicious commands on their systems. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to steal cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks such as credential theft, session manipulation, or even privilege escalation within the application context. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 which covers initial access through malicious inputs and T1059.007 which involves command and scripting interpreters through web shells or XSS payloads.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve multiple layers of defense. The most direct approach requires updating the eggblog application to version 3.1.1 or later where the input sanitization has been properly implemented. System administrators should also implement input validation and output encoding measures within the application code, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being included in any web output. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded, preventing execution of injected malicious code. Additionally, web application firewalls can be configured to detect and block suspicious patterns in PATH_INFO parameters, providing an extra layer of defense against exploitation attempts. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments and implement proper input validation routines to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other parts of their web applications.