CVE-2008-3100 in Intranet Knowledgebase
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in lib/owl.lib.php in Steve Bourgeois and Chris Vincent Owl Intranet Knowledgebase 0.95 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the username parameter in a getpasswd action to register.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/24/2025
The CVE-2008-3100 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the Owl Intranet Knowledgebase version 0.95 and earlier, specifically within the lib/owl.lib.php component. This vulnerability exposes the application to remote code execution through malicious web script injection, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this intranet solution. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input during the password recovery process, specifically in the getpasswd action of the register.php script. Attackers can exploit this weakness by manipulating the username parameter, which then gets reflected back to the user without adequate input validation or output encoding mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a standard XSS attack pattern where malicious input is accepted through the username parameter and subsequently rendered in the web application's response without proper sanitization. This creates an environment where attackers can inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability is classified as a classic reflected XSS issue, where the malicious payload is reflected off the web server and delivered to the victim's browser, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that handle user authentication and password recovery functions. This flaw directly corresponds to CWE-79, which defines the weakness of cross-site scripting, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-3100 extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform more sophisticated attacks such as credential harvesting, session manipulation, and potentially full system compromise. In an intranet environment where the Owl Knowledgebase serves as a central repository for organizational information, this vulnerability could enable attackers to access sensitive internal documents, user credentials, and system configurations. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it targets the password recovery mechanism, which is often a trusted entry point for users and attackers alike. Organizations using this vulnerable software face risks of unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential lateral movement within their network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the authentication and user management components of the application, potentially allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate users and gain elevated privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-3100 should prioritize immediate patching of the vulnerable software to version 0.96 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other components. The security architecture should incorporate proper parameter sanitization, particularly for user-supplied inputs in authentication flows. Implementing a web application firewall with XSS detection capabilities and establishing secure coding practices that enforce proper input validation and output encoding can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments and vulnerability scans to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in their web applications. The remediation efforts must include comprehensive testing of all user input handling mechanisms, especially those related to authentication and user management functions, to ensure that reflected XSS vulnerabilities are properly addressed across the entire application stack.