CVE-2008-5059 in ModernBill
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in ModernBill 4.4 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a Javascript event in the new_language parameter in a login action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/09/2024
The CVE-2008-5059 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in ModernBill version 4.4 and earlier, specifically within the index.php script during login operations. This vulnerability arises from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly filter malicious content submitted through the new_language parameter. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of a victim's browser session, potentially compromising user security and application integrity. ModernBill, a web-based billing and customer management system, exposes this vulnerability when processing login requests that include crafted JavaScript events in the language parameter, creating a persistent threat vector for malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamic web content. When the login action processes the new_language parameter, the system directly embeds the unfiltered input into the page response without proper HTML escaping or context-aware encoding. This creates an XSS attack surface where attackers can inject malicious JavaScript code that executes in the victim's browser context. The vulnerability specifically targets the login functionality, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited during authentication attempts when users are most likely to interact with the application. The flaw operates under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-5059 extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling sophisticated attack vectors including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious sites. Attackers can craft payloads that steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing pages, or inject malicious code that persists across user sessions. The vulnerability affects all users of ModernBill 4.4 and earlier versions, making it a widespread concern for organizations relying on this billing platform. Given that the flaw occurs during the authentication process, it represents a critical security gap that could compromise the entire application ecosystem. The attack requires minimal privileges as it operates against the web application layer, making it particularly attractive to threat actors seeking to exploit web applications without requiring system-level access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-5059 should focus on immediate input validation and output encoding implementations. Organizations must implement proper parameter sanitization by escaping special characters and validating input against whitelisted character sets before processing. The recommended approach involves applying context-aware output encoding to all dynamic content, particularly in authentication flows where user input is processed. Implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to prevent unauthorized script execution. Organizations should also consider deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads targeting this vulnerability. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to ModernBill versions that have addressed this vulnerability through proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Security teams should conduct thorough penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components and establish comprehensive input validation policies aligned with OWASP Top Ten recommendations. This vulnerability highlights the importance of implementing secure coding practices and proper input sanitization as fundamental security controls in web application development processes.