CVE-2008-4450 in XAMPP
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in adodb.php in XAMPP for Windows 1.6.8 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) dbserver, (2) host, (3) user, (4) password, (5) database, and (6) table parameters. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/20/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-4450 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw located within the adodb.php component of XAMPP for Windows version 1.6.8. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting weaknesses in web applications. The flaw exists in the administrative interface of XAMPP, making it particularly dangerous as it allows remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability affects multiple parameters within the database connection interface, specifically targeting dbserver, host, user, password, database, and table parameters, which are commonly used in database configuration interfaces.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the injection of malicious JavaScript code or HTML content into the affected parameters. When a user accesses the vulnerable XAMPP administrative interface and provides input through these parameters, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape the user-supplied data before rendering it in the web interface. This allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that execute in the context of authenticated users, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the compromised system. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires no authentication to exploit, making it accessible to any remote attacker who can access the XAMPP interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the compromised environment. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript) and T1566.001 (Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment) as attackers can use the XSS to redirect users to malicious sites or inject additional payloads. The vulnerability essentially provides a foothold for more sophisticated attacks, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges, steal sensitive information from database connections, or use the compromised interface to launch further attacks against internal systems. The fact that it affects the database connection parameters makes it particularly dangerous as it could potentially expose database credentials or allow attackers to manipulate database connections.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the XAMPP administrative interface. The recommended approach includes implementing strict parameter validation, escaping all user-supplied input before rendering it in the web interface, and employing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to prevent script execution. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit access to the XAMPP administrative interface, restricting access to trusted IP addresses only, and ensuring that all XAMPP installations are updated to the latest versions where such vulnerabilities have been patched. Additionally, regular security audits of web applications should include checking for similar input validation flaws in database administration interfaces, as this vulnerability represents a common pattern that can be found in many legacy web applications. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper security practices in development environments and highlights the need for regular patch management, particularly for software packages that provide administrative interfaces to database systems.