CVE-2008-2211 in Maian Guestbook
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in admin/inc/footer.php in Maian Guestbook 3.2 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) msg_script2 and (2) msg_script3 parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/19/2017
The CVE-2008-2211 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the Maian Guestbook 3.2 content management system, specifically within the administrative interface component located at admin/inc/footer.php. This vulnerability exposes the system to remote code execution risks through malicious input injection, making it a significant concern for web application security. The flaw affects the administrative backend functionality where user-generated content is processed and displayed, creating an attack vector that could compromise the entire guestbook administration system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the footer.php file. Attackers can exploit this weakness by manipulating two specific parameters named msg_script2 and msg_script3, which are designed to handle script content within the administrative interface. These parameters fail to properly sanitize user input before rendering it in the web page context, allowing malicious scripts to be executed in the browsers of unsuspecting administrators or users who view the affected pages. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the server-side processing of administrative content, where the lack of proper encoding or filtering creates persistent XSS conditions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to escalate privileges within the administrative interface. When administrators access pages containing malicious scripts injected through these parameters, the attacker can execute arbitrary code in the context of the administrator's browser session. This opens possibilities for session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized modifications to guestbook content or configuration settings. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the guestbook system, as attackers could potentially gain persistent access to the administrative functions and manipulate the entire guestbook database.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which identifies cross-site scripting as a weakness in web applications where untrusted data is improperly handled during web page generation. The flaw also relates to ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers social engineering through malicious content injection. Mitigation strategies include implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, applying the latest security patches from the Maian Guestbook vendor, and conducting regular security audits of web applications. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls, content security policies, and regular security training for administrators to prevent exploitation of such vulnerabilities. The remediation process requires immediate patch deployment and thorough testing to ensure that all user input parameters are properly sanitized before being rendered in web contexts, with particular attention to administrative interfaces where elevated privileges may be compromised.