CVE-2008-4179 in NooMS
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in NooMS 1.1 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) page_id parameter to smileys.php and the (2) q parameter to search.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/14/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-4179 represents a critical security flaw in NooMS version 1.1, a content management system that was widely used for web publishing and management. This vulnerability manifests as multiple cross-site scripting flaws that enable remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of users' browsers, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity. The affected components specifically target two distinct entry points within the application's interface, creating multiple attack vectors that could be exploited by threat actors without requiring authentication or privileged access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the NooMS application's handling of user-supplied parameters. The first vulnerability occurs in the smileys.php script where the page_id parameter is processed without proper sanitization, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that executes when the page loads. The second vulnerability exists in the search.php script where the q parameter fails to undergo adequate validation, enabling attackers to inject HTML and JavaScript content that gets rendered in search results. Both flaws fall under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it creates opportunities for more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. When users browse pages containing malicious content injected through these parameters, their browsers execute the embedded scripts, potentially allowing attackers to access cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive information stored in the browser. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can be leveraged to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrators or regular users have elevated privileges. The attack surface is further expanded due to the nature of these parameters being commonly used in web applications, making the exploitation relatively straightforward for attackers.
Security practitioners should consider implementing multiple layers of defense to address this vulnerability, beginning with immediate patching of the affected NooMS version to ensure the application is updated with proper input validation mechanisms. The recommended mitigation strategy includes implementing strict input sanitization routines that filter or escape special characters in all user-supplied parameters before processing or rendering them in web responses. Additionally, organizations should deploy content security policies that restrict script execution and implement proper output encoding techniques to prevent malicious code from being interpreted as executable content. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques such as T1059.007 (Scripting) and T1531 (Account Access Token), as it enables attackers to execute code and potentially escalate privileges through compromised user sessions. The vulnerability also demonstrates the importance of proper parameter validation and input sanitization, which are fundamental requirements in secure coding practices and align with industry standards such as OWASP Top Ten and NIST Cybersecurity Framework guidelines for web application security.