CVE-2008-4601 in Habari
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the login feature in Habari CMS 0.5.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the habari_username parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2025
The CVE-2008-4601 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Habari Content Management System version 0.5.1, specifically affecting the login functionality. This vulnerability resides in the handling of user input through the habari_username parameter, which fails to properly sanitize or validate incoming data before processing. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to unauthorized access, session hijacking, or data exfiltration. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize user input, making it a classic example of an XSS vulnerability that exploits web applications' insufficient input validation mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing HTML or JavaScript code and submits it through the habari_username parameter during the login process. The CMS does not adequately filter or escape the user-supplied input, allowing the malicious code to be stored or directly executed when the page renders. This creates a persistent XSS vector that can affect any user who interacts with the compromised application interface. The vulnerability demonstrates poor application security practices related to input sanitization and output encoding, which are fundamental requirements in secure web application development. The attack surface is particularly dangerous as it targets the login feature, which is frequently accessed and may contain sensitive user information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that compromise the entire application ecosystem. Attackers can leverage the XSS flaw to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, modify application content, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. This vulnerability particularly threatens user authentication integrity and can lead to complete system compromise if combined with other attack vectors. The persistence of the vulnerability in a widely used CMS platform means that numerous installations could be exposed to this risk, potentially affecting thousands of users and organizations. The flaw also violates several security standards including those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten Project, specifically targeting the A03:2021-Injection category and the A07:2021-Identification and Authentication Failures.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-4601 should include immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding measures to prevent malicious script injection. The recommended approach involves sanitizing all user inputs through proper escaping mechanisms before rendering any content, particularly in authentication contexts. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. Additionally, the affected Habari CMS version 0.5.1 should be upgraded to a patched version or replaced with a more secure alternative. Security teams should conduct comprehensive penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components and establish automated input validation processes. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs to prevent such issues from persisting in production environments, aligning with ATT&CK framework techniques related to initial access and execution phases.