CVE-2008-0552 in eTicket
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in eTicket 1.5.6-RC4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the PATH_INFO.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2025
The CVE-2008-0552 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the eTicket 1.5.6-RC4 web application, specifically within the index.php file. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of PATH_INFO parameters, which are typically used by web servers to pass additional path information to scripts. The flaw enables remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content directly into the application's response, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity. The vulnerability affects web applications that rely on PATH_INFO for routing or parameter processing, making it particularly dangerous in environments where user input is not properly sanitized or validated.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the eTicket application's index.php script. When the application processes PATH_INFO parameters without adequate security measures, it fails to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before rendering it in the web response. This allows attackers to craft malicious URLs containing script tags or other HTML content that gets executed in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability specifically exploits the application's failure to implement proper output encoding or validation mechanisms when handling PATH_INFO variables, which are commonly used by PHP applications to process dynamic content or routing information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, or redirect victims to malicious websites. When exploited, the XSS vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the victim's browser, potentially leading to complete compromise of user sessions and unauthorized access to sensitive data. The vulnerability affects all users of the eTicket 1.5.6-RC4 application who interact with the affected index.php script, making it a significant security risk for organizations relying on this ticketing system. Attackers can leverage this flaw to manipulate the application's behavior, potentially gaining unauthorized access to administrative functions or user data.
Security mitigations for CVE-2008-0552 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should ensure that all user-supplied data, particularly PATH_INFO parameters, undergo proper sanitization before being processed or displayed in web responses. This includes implementing proper HTML escaping, using secure coding practices, and validating all input parameters against expected formats and ranges. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content. Organizations should also implement proper web application firewall rules to detect and block suspicious PATH_INFO patterns, update to patched versions of eTicket, and conduct regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications. The remediation process should include thorough code review to ensure all parameter handling follows secure coding standards and that proper input validation is implemented throughout the application's architecture.