CVE-2007-6659 in 2z project
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in 2z project 0.9.6.1 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) contentshort or (2) contentfull parameter in an addnews action to the default URI; (3) the content parameter in a pm write action to 2z/admin.php; (4) the referer parameter to templates/default/usermenu.tpl, accessed through index.php; or the (5) newavatar or (6) newphoto parameter in a profile action to the default URI under 2z/.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/07/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-6659 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting the 2z project version 0.9.6.1, which operates as a web-based content management system. This vulnerability manifests through multiple attack vectors that collectively demonstrate a fundamental failure in input validation and output sanitization within the application's codebase. The presence of these XSS vulnerabilities indicates that the system does not properly sanitize user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic web pages, creating opportunities for malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of other users' browsers. The affected parameters span across different functional areas of the application including news management, private messaging, user interface templates, and profile management, suggesting a systemic weakness in the application's security architecture rather than isolated code flaws.
The technical exploitation of these vulnerabilities occurs through the injection of malicious scripts into parameters that are subsequently rendered without proper sanitization. When attackers manipulate the contentshort or contentfull parameters during an addnews action, they can inject HTML content that gets executed when other users view the news items. Similarly, the content parameter in pm write actions allows injection within private messaging functionality, while the referer parameter in usermenu.tpl template demonstrates that even indirect parameters can serve as attack vectors. The newavatar and newphoto parameters in profile actions show that file upload or URL-based input handling also suffers from insufficient validation. These attack vectors align with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, and represent a classic example of how improper input handling can lead to persistent security weaknesses in web applications.
The operational impact of these vulnerabilities extends beyond simple script execution, as they can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious websites. Users who view compromised news items or interact with maliciously crafted profile data could have their browser sessions compromised, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information or system functionality. The broad scope of affected parameters suggests that attackers could leverage these vulnerabilities across multiple application modules, making the attack surface significantly larger than typical isolated XSS flaws. The fact that these vulnerabilities exist in a content management system makes them particularly dangerous as they could be exploited to compromise entire user bases or administrative functions, especially given that many CMS platforms store sensitive user data and administrative privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-6659 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output sanitization across all user-supplied data points. The most effective approach involves applying strict validation rules to all parameters before they are processed or rendered, ensuring that any potentially malicious content is either rejected or properly encoded. Implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns, and establish secure coding practices that emphasize parameter validation and output encoding as fundamental security controls. The remediation efforts should address all six identified attack vectors simultaneously, as the presence of multiple entry points indicates that the underlying security architecture requires comprehensive review and strengthening. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and highlights the need for continuous security testing throughout the software development lifecycle to prevent such widespread flaws from being introduced into production systems.