CVE-2008-2967 in Academic Web Tools
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Academic Web Tools (AWT YEKTA) 1.4.3.1, and 1.4.2.8 and earlier, allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) query string to login.php and the (2) glb_sid parameter to hta/htmlarea.js.php, and allow remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via an unspecified field in room.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/21/2025
The CVE-2008-2967 vulnerability affects Academic Web Tools (AWT YEKTA) versions 1.4.3.1 and 1.4.2.8 and earlier, representing a critical cross-site scripting vulnerability that exposes the application to remote code execution risks. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the web application's core components, particularly affecting authentication and administrative interfaces. The flaw manifests in three distinct attack vectors that collectively undermine the application's security posture and user data protection capabilities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves three primary attack surfaces that exploit improper handling of user-supplied input. The first vector targets the login.php script through the query string parameter, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts during the authentication process. The second vector operates through the glb_sid parameter in hta/htmlarea.js.php, where session identifiers are not properly sanitized before being processed or returned to users. The third vector affects authenticated users through an unspecified field in room.php, demonstrating that the vulnerability extends beyond mere guest access to include privileged user sessions. These flaws collectively represent a failure in input validation and output encoding practices that violate fundamental web security principles.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-2967 is severe and multifaceted, potentially enabling attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of affected users' browsers. This vulnerability allows for session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration from authenticated user sessions. Attackers could leverage these XSS flaws to redirect users to malicious sites, steal session cookies, or inject malicious content that persists within the application's interface. The vulnerability's presence in both authentication and administrative components means that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, particularly when considering that authenticated users often possess elevated privileges within the application environment. This creates a pathway for attackers to escalate their privileges and gain unauthorized access to sensitive academic data.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting) and aligns with multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1566 (Phishing) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter). The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical sophistication, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users may inadvertently interact with malicious content. Organizations using affected versions of AWT YEKTA face significant compliance risks, as this vulnerability violates security standards such as those outlined in NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001, which mandate proper input validation and output encoding to prevent injection attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates a critical failure in the application's security architecture and highlights the importance of implementing defense-in-depth strategies including Content Security Policy (CSP) headers and comprehensive input validation mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-2967 require immediate action including updating to patched versions of AWT YEKTA, implementing proper input validation and output encoding across all user-supplied parameters, and deploying Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution. Organizations should also implement regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in their web applications. The remediation process must include thorough code review of all input handling mechanisms, implementation of proper parameter validation, and enforcement of secure coding practices that align with OWASP Top Ten recommendations. Additionally, user education regarding phishing awareness and the dangers of interacting with untrusted web content remains crucial in preventing exploitation of these vulnerabilities.