CVE-2008-4120 in FlatPress
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in FlatPress 0.804 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) user or (2) pass parameter to login.php, or the (3) name parameter to contact.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/27/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-4120 represents a critical security flaw in FlatPress version 0.804, a lightweight content management system that was widely used for blog and website management. This vulnerability manifests as multiple cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that expose the application to remote code execution risks through malicious web script injection. The flaw specifically affects three distinct input parameters across different application endpoints, creating multiple attack vectors that threat actors can exploit to compromise user sessions and potentially gain unauthorized access to the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the FlatPress application. When users provide input through the user or pass parameters in the login.php file, or through the name parameter in contact.php, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape these inputs before processing or displaying them. This lack of proper input sanitization creates an environment where malicious actors can inject malicious JavaScript code, HTML content, or other harmful scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79, which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is sent to a web browser without proper validation or encoding, making it susceptible to malicious injection.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-4120 extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited to compromise entire user bases. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that, when executed in victim browsers, can steal authentication cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or even install malware on compromised systems. The vulnerability affects the core authentication and contact functionality of the application, meaning that any user attempting to log in or submit contact forms becomes a potential target for exploitation. This creates a particularly dangerous scenario where legitimate users are unknowingly exposed to malicious scripts during routine system interactions, potentially leading to widespread compromise of user accounts and system integrity.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The primary remediation involves sanitizing all user inputs through proper escaping techniques before processing or displaying them, particularly for parameters that are directly rendered in web responses. Organizations should implement strict parameter validation that rejects or filters out potentially malicious characters and script sequences, while also ensuring that all output is properly encoded for the context in which it appears. The recommended approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which emphasizes the importance of preventing malicious code injection through proper input validation and output encoding. Additionally, upgrading to a patched version of FlatPress or implementing web application firewalls with XSS detection capabilities would provide immediate protection against exploitation attempts. Regular security audits and input validation testing should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other parts of the application or future versions.