CVE-2007-6616 in simpleforum
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in simpleforum.cgi in SimpleForum 4.6.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the searchkey parameter in a search action. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/14/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-6616 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw in the SimpleForum 4.6.2 software and earlier versions. This issue manifests within the simpleforum.cgi script which processes user search queries through the searchkey parameter. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML code directly into the forum's search functionality, creating a persistent security risk for all users interacting with the affected system. The flaw operates by failing to properly sanitize or encode user input before incorporating it into the web page response, thereby enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of other users' browsers.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing a reflected XSS attack vector where malicious input is immediately reflected back to the user without proper input validation or output encoding. The attack occurs when a user submits a search query containing malicious script code through the searchkey parameter, which is then processed by the vulnerable CGI script and displayed to other users browsing the forum. The security implications extend beyond simple script execution as attackers can potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users through the forum interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for forum administrators and end users alike. Attackers can exploit this flaw to hijack user sessions, deface forum content, or redirect users to phishing sites designed to capture credentials. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that users must actively click on malicious links or be directed to compromised search results for the attack to succeed, though this still represents a substantial risk given the prevalence of forum usage and search functionality. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including SimpleForum 4.6.2, indicating a long-standing issue that was not properly addressed in the software's input validation mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on implementing proper input sanitization and output encoding techniques. The most effective approach involves validating all user input parameters, particularly those used in search functions, by removing or encoding potentially dangerous characters such as angle brackets, script tags, and other HTML metacharacters. Implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while proper input validation should be implemented at the application level to prevent malicious code from being processed or stored. The solution aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which covers social engineering via malicious web content, and represents a fundamental security practice that should be applied to all web applications processing user input. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regularly updating their software to address known vulnerabilities in forum systems.