CVE-2008-2176 in Zomplog
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in admin/category.php in Zomplog 3.8.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the catname parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2018
The CVE-2008-2176 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw in the Zomplog content management system version 3.8.2. This vulnerability specifically targets the administrative category management component, where the catname parameter fails to properly sanitize user input before processing. The flaw exists within the server-side script that handles category creation and modification operations, creating an exploitable entry point for malicious actors to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content into the application's administrative interface.
This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is sent to a web browser without proper validation or sanitization. The technical implementation flaw occurs when the application directly incorporates user-supplied input from the catname parameter into dynamic web page content without appropriate encoding or validation mechanisms. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that, when processed by the vulnerable application, execute within the context of other users' browsers who visit affected pages or interact with the compromised administrative interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and privilege escalation within the administrative context. When an administrator or authenticated user interacts with the compromised category management interface, the injected scripts execute in their browser context, potentially allowing attackers to access sensitive administrative functions, modify content, or gain elevated privileges within the Zomplog system. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it targets the administrative interface, which typically contains sensitive configuration data and user management capabilities.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering tactics including the use of malicious payloads to exploit web application vulnerabilities. The attack chain typically involves an attacker identifying the vulnerable parameter, crafting malicious input containing JavaScript code, and then either persuading an administrator to interact with the compromised page or directly injecting the payload through the vulnerable parameter. Mitigation strategies should include implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, applying the latest security patches from the Zomplog developers, and implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads targeting known XSS vulnerabilities. Additionally, organizations should enforce principle of least privilege for administrative accounts and implement comprehensive monitoring of administrative interface activities to detect potential exploitation attempts.