CVE-2008-2209 in Maian Greeting
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in admin/inc/header.php in Maian Greeting 2.1 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) msg_script and (2) msg_script2 parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2209 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Maian Greeting 2.1 web application, specifically targeting the administrative interface component located at admin/inc/header.php. This vulnerability manifests through two distinct parameter injection points namely msg_script and msg_script2 which are susceptible to malicious input manipulation. The flaw resides in the insufficient sanitization and validation of user-supplied data within the administrative header file, creating an exploitable entry point for remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated administrator sessions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly filter or escape user input before rendering it within the web page context. When administrators access the administrative interface, the vulnerable parameters are directly incorporated into the page output without adequate security measures such as input validation, output encoding, or context-aware sanitization. This creates a persistent XSS vector where malicious actors can craft specially formatted payloads that, when processed by the vulnerable application, execute within the browser of authenticated users. The attack requires no privileged access to the system itself, as the vulnerability exists in the administrative interface processing logic.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to the security posture of systems running Maian Greeting 2.1, particularly in environments where administrative access is limited to authorized personnel. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of administrators, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject malicious content that could persist across multiple user sessions. The vulnerability specifically targets the administrative header component, meaning any authenticated administrative user could become compromised, potentially leading to complete system takeover if the attacker can escalate privileges through the administrative interface.
The security implications extend beyond simple script injection, as this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting as a critical weakness in web application security. The attack vector follows established patterns described in MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1566 for initial access through malicious web content, and T1071 for application layer protocol usage. Organizations using this vulnerable version of Maian Greeting face potential data breaches, unauthorized administrative access, and compromise of sensitive information within their greeting card systems. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices that violate fundamental security principles for web application development and highlights the critical importance of implementing proper output encoding and input sanitization mechanisms.
Recommended mitigations for this vulnerability include immediate patching of the Maian Greeting application to version 2.2 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Organizations should also implement input validation controls that sanitize all user-supplied data before processing, employ output encoding mechanisms to prevent script execution in web contexts, and consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to add additional layers of protection. Network segmentation and monitoring of administrative interface access can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other web applications and ensure comprehensive protection against similar cross-site scripting vulnerabilities.