CVE-2008-0201 in ExpressionEngine
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in ExpressionEngine 1.2.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the URL parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/14/2018
The cross-site scripting vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0201 affects ExpressionEngine versions 1.2.1 and earlier, specifically within the index.php script. This vulnerability represents a classic persistent XSS flaw that enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of a victim's browser session. The vulnerability manifests through the URL parameter handling mechanism, where user-supplied input is not properly sanitized or escaped before being rendered back to the user. This weakness falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent web application security flaws documented in the CWE database. The attack vector exploits the web application's failure to validate and sanitize user input, creating an environment where malicious code can be injected and subsequently executed by unsuspecting users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows an attacker to craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that get processed by the vulnerable ExpressionEngine application. When the application renders these URLs in its user interface, the injected scripts execute within the victim's browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the application layer, leveraging the trust relationship between the web application and its users. Attackers can exploit this flaw by embedding malicious JavaScript code within the URL parameters, which gets executed whenever the page is loaded, making it a persistent threat that can affect multiple users over time. This type of vulnerability is categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically targeting web applications through script injection methods.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-0201 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks including session fixation, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the application's context. When exploited successfully, this vulnerability can compromise user sessions, potentially allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to administrative functions or sensitive data within the ExpressionEngine application. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the web application, as it enables unauthorized code execution and data manipulation. Organizations using vulnerable versions of ExpressionEngine face significant risk of data breaches and service disruption. The attack requires minimal sophistication and can be automated, making it particularly dangerous in environments where the application serves many users. The vulnerability also impacts the application's availability by potentially causing unexpected behavior in the user interface when malicious payloads are executed. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability as part of the broader web application security landscape, where XSS flaws often serve as entry points for more complex attack chains. The remediation approach requires immediate patching of the affected ExpressionEngine versions and implementation of proper input validation mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future releases.