CVE-2008-2127 in CMS Faethon
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in search.php in CMS Faethon 2.2 Ultimate allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the what parameter. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2127 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the CMS Faethon 2.2 Ultimate platform, specifically affecting the search.php script. This vulnerability exposes the system to remote code execution risks where malicious actors can inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content through the what parameter, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity. The flaw demonstrates a classic input validation failure that allows attackers to bypass security measures designed to sanitize user inputs, creating an attack surface that can be exploited across multiple user interactions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of the what parameter in the search.php script, which processes user search queries without proper input validation or output encoding mechanisms. This weakness enables attackers to inject malicious payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers when they view search results or interact with the vulnerable application. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws resulting from insufficient validation or sanitization of user-provided data. The attack vector operates through standard HTTP requests where the malicious payload is embedded within the search parameter, making it difficult to detect during normal browsing operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling session hijacking, credential theft, and data manipulation within the compromised system. Attackers can leverage this weakness to redirect users to malicious websites, steal session cookies, or modify content displayed to other users, effectively compromising the integrity and confidentiality of the CMS environment. The vulnerability affects the application's trust model, as users cannot reliably distinguish between legitimate content and maliciously injected scripts. This flaw represents a significant risk to web application security and can lead to broader system compromises when combined with other vulnerabilities or used as a foothold for further attacks.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application, particularly for parameters that handle user-generated content. The recommended approach includes sanitizing all user inputs using allow-list validation techniques, implementing proper HTML encoding for output rendering, and establishing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution. Organizations should also consider deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit this vulnerability. The remediation process requires thorough code review and input validation implementation, following security best practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST guidelines for secure coding practices. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other components of the CMS system.