CVE-2008-1348 in eWeather
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in the eWebsite eWeather (Weather) module for PHP-Nuke allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the chart parameter to modules.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/21/2025
The CVE-2008-1348 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the eWebsite eWeather module for PHP-Nuke systems. This vulnerability specifically targets the index.php file and occurs when the chart parameter passed through modules.php is not properly sanitized or validated. The flaw exists in the web application's input handling mechanism, where user-supplied data flows directly into the web page output without adequate security controls. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. This particular implementation weakness allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code into the application's response, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing specially formatted script code within the chart parameter. When the vulnerable PHP-Nuke application processes this parameter and renders it in the web page output, the injected script executes in the context of the victim's browser. The attack vector operates through the standard HTTP request/response cycle where the attacker's malicious input bypasses the application's security filters and gets embedded into the dynamic web content. This vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation and output encoding practices that are fundamental to preventing XSS attacks according to OWASP Top Ten security guidelines. The flaw essentially creates a trust boundary violation where legitimate application behavior becomes compromised by malicious user input.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-1348 extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, defacement of web pages, and data theft from authenticated users. Users who visit the compromised web page may unknowingly execute malicious code that can capture their credentials, redirect them to phishing sites, or modify the displayed content to mislead them. The vulnerability affects the entire eWeather module functionality and can be exploited across all users interacting with the vulnerable PHP-Nuke installation. Attackers can leverage this flaw to establish persistent malicious presence on the web application, potentially using it as a stepping stone for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which covers phishing with malicious attachments and links, as users may be tricked into visiting malicious URLs containing the exploit.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-1348 require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding measures. Organizations should sanitize all user-supplied input parameters, particularly those used in dynamic content generation, by implementing strict validation rules and encoding mechanisms. The recommended approach involves using context-specific output encoding before rendering any user input into web pages, which directly addresses the CWE-79 vulnerability root cause. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting script execution. Regular security audits and code reviews should focus on input handling routines to identify similar vulnerabilities across the application codebase. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of keeping CMS platforms and modules updated, as this particular flaw was likely addressed in subsequent versions of the eWeather module and PHP-Nuke framework. Organizations should implement automated vulnerability scanning tools to detect similar XSS patterns in their web applications, ensuring comprehensive protection against both known and unknown vulnerabilities in the application's attack surface.