CVE-2008-4336 in Atomic Photo Album
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in album.php in Atomic Photo Album (APA) 1.1.0pre4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the apa_album_ID parameter.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/04/2024
The CVE-2008-4336 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Atomic Photo Album 1.1.0pre4 web application. This vulnerability specifically targets the album.php script which processes user input through the apa_album_ID parameter, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability falls under the broader category of web application security flaws that compromise the integrity and confidentiality of user interactions with web services.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the application's parameter handling mechanisms. When the apa_album_ID parameter is processed without proper sanitization, the application fails to escape or filter potentially malicious content that could contain script tags or other HTML elements. This allows attackers to inject payload code that executes in the browser context of legitimate users who subsequently access the affected page. The vulnerability is classified as a reflected XSS attack since the malicious script is reflected back to the user through the application's response rather than being stored on the server.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform various malicious activities within the targeted user's browser session. Attackers could potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, deface the application interface, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability affects the application's security model by undermining the trust boundary between the application and its users, potentially leading to account takeovers, data theft, or further exploitation of the compromised session. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can enable attackers to escalate their access within the application environment.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-site Scripting flaws in web applications. The attack pattern corresponds to techniques outlined in the ATT&CK framework under T1566 - Phishing and T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter, demonstrating how initial access through XSS can lead to further compromise. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including input validation, output encoding, and the implementation of Content Security Policy headers. The remediation process should involve sanitizing all user-supplied input, particularly parameters like apa_album_ID, and ensuring proper HTML escaping before any content is rendered to users. Additionally, regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify and address similar vulnerabilities in other application components, adhering to secure coding practices as recommended by OWASP and other industry security standards.