CVE-2007-6157 in SimpleGallery
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in SimpleGallery 0.1.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the album parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/22/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-6157 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the SimpleGallery 0.1.3 web application. This issue resides in the index.php script where user-supplied input from the album parameter is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered back to users. The vulnerability classifies under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, making it a well-documented and commonly exploited weakness in web applications. The affected SimpleGallery version demonstrates a fundamental failure in input validation and output encoding practices that are essential for preventing malicious code execution in web browsers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing script code within the album parameter of the index.php endpoint. When the vulnerable application processes this parameter and displays it without proper sanitization, the embedded malicious script executes within the context of other users' browsers who visit the affected pages. This creates a persistent threat where attackers can steal session cookies, deface web pages, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability specifically targets the album parameter, indicating that any user input related to album identification or display is susceptible to injection attacks without proper security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it fundamentally compromises the security posture of any system running the vulnerable SimpleGallery version. Attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistent access patterns, conduct phishing attacks, or create backdoor access points within the web application environment. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of user data, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information and system compromise. Organizations using this gallery software face significant risk of unauthorized user access, data breaches, and potential lateral movement within their network infrastructure. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that SimpleGallery is a web-based image gallery system that typically requires minimal user interaction to exploit, making it an attractive target for automated attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-6157 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user-supplied input, particularly the album parameter, through proper escaping and encoding techniques before rendering any content. This approach aligns with established security practices and addresses the root cause of the vulnerability by ensuring that malicious scripts cannot be executed within the browser context. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to add an additional layer of protection against script injection attacks. The remediation process requires updating to a patched version of SimpleGallery or implementing custom input validation routines that specifically address this vulnerability. Security teams should conduct comprehensive code reviews to identify similar input handling patterns throughout the application, as this type of vulnerability often indicates broader architectural issues with data sanitization practices that may affect other parameters or components within the system.