CVE-2008-0765 in Artmedic Weblog
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in artmedic webdesign weblog allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) date parameter to artmedic_print.php and the (2) jahrneu parameter to index.php.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/05/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0765 represents a critical security flaw in the artmedic webdesign weblog software that exposes users to significant cross-site scripting attacks. This vulnerability affects multiple components of the web application and demonstrates a fundamental failure in input validation and output sanitization within the software architecture. The presence of XSS vulnerabilities in web applications of this nature indicates a serious gap in the development security practices and highlights the importance of implementing robust security measures throughout the software development lifecycle.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through two distinct attack vectors that exploit the same underlying security weakness. The first vector involves the date parameter in the artmedic_print.php script where malicious input can be injected to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code. The second vector targets the jahrneu parameter in the index.php file, which similarly allows attackers to inject malicious content. Both attack paths demonstrate the same fundamental flaw in the application's handling of user-supplied data, where input validation is insufficient or completely absent. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a critical weakness in web application security and is frequently targeted by attackers in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the technique of Web Application Attack.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute malicious code within the context of the victim's browser session. This opens the door to session hijacking, credential theft, and the potential for more sophisticated attacks such as drive-by downloads or the establishment of persistent backdoors. The vulnerability affects all users who interact with the web application, making it particularly dangerous in environments where the application serves multiple users or is publicly accessible. The attack requires minimal technical expertise from threat actors, as the vulnerability exists in the core application logic rather than requiring complex exploitation techniques.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective immediate solution involves sanitizing all user-supplied input parameters before processing or displaying them within the web application interface. This approach aligns with the principle of least privilege and defense in depth as outlined in industry security frameworks. Organizations should implement proper parameter validation using allow-list approaches and ensure that all dynamic content is properly escaped before being rendered in the browser. Additionally, regular security code reviews and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application. The remediation process must include comprehensive testing to ensure that the fixes do not introduce new functionality issues while effectively neutralizing the XSS attack vectors.