CVE-2007-6205 in serendipity
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the remote RSS sidebar plugin (serendipity_plugin_remoterss) in S9Y Serendipity before 1.2.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a link in an RSS feed.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/07/2019
The CVE-2007-6205 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the S9Y Serendipity blogging platform's remote RSS sidebar plugin. This vulnerability affects versions prior to 1.2.1 and exposes web applications to malicious code injection through compromised RSS feed content. The security flaw operates by failing to properly sanitize user-supplied input from RSS feed links, creating an avenue for attackers to execute arbitrary scripts within the context of a victim's browser session.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the serendipity_plugin_remoterss component. When the plugin processes RSS feed data, it does not sufficiently escape or filter HTML entities and script tags present in feed links, allowing malicious actors to embed JavaScript code or malicious HTML elements. This flaw directly maps to CWE-79, which defines Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities as the failure to properly encode output, making it susceptible to injection attacks that can execute in the context of a user's browsing session.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to phishing sites. An attacker can craft a malicious RSS feed containing script tags that execute when users view the sidebar, potentially stealing cookies, modifying content, or redirecting users to malicious domains. This represents a significant threat to blog administrators and their visitors, as the vulnerability can be exploited through legitimate RSS feed consumption without requiring user interaction beyond viewing the affected page.
The attack vector for this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001, which covers spearphishing via social media, as attackers can manipulate RSS feeds to deliver malicious content through trusted sources. The vulnerability particularly affects web applications that rely on third-party RSS feed integration, making it a common target for attackers seeking to compromise user sessions or deliver malware through content delivery mechanisms. Organizations using Serendipity versions before 1.2.1 should consider immediate remediation, as the vulnerability can be exploited through automated means without requiring sophisticated attack techniques.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-6205 should focus on both immediate patching and defensive measures. The primary solution involves upgrading to Serendipity 1.2.1 or later versions where the input sanitization has been properly implemented. Additionally, administrators should implement content security policies that restrict script execution and employ web application firewalls to detect and block malicious RSS feed content. Input validation should be strengthened at multiple layers, including server-side sanitization of RSS feed data and client-side output encoding to prevent script injection. Regular security audits of third-party plugins and feed integrations should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other components of the blogging platform ecosystem.