CVE-2008-5068 in Kmita Gallery
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Kmita Gallery allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) begin parameter to index.php and the (2) searchtext parameter to search.php. 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 • 07/30/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-5068 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in Kmita Gallery, a web-based image gallery application that was widely used in the late 2000s. This vulnerability type falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79, which specifically addresses "Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')". The flaw exists in the application's handling of user-supplied input parameters, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability affects two distinct endpoints within the application's interface, specifically targeting the index.php and search.php scripts which process user input for gallery navigation and search functionality.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through two primary vectors that demonstrate the application's insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The first attack vector involves the begin parameter in index.php, where an attacker can inject malicious scripts that will execute when the gallery page renders. The second vector targets the searchtext parameter in search.php, allowing attackers to inject script code that gets processed during search operations. Both parameters fail to properly sanitize or escape user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages, creating persistent XSS vulnerabilities that can affect any user who views the compromised content. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that these parameters are likely used in contexts where user interaction is expected, making the attack surface more extensive than typical server-side vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-5068 extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, deface web pages, steal sensitive information, and potentially escalate privileges within the application context. When users browse the gallery and encounter malicious scripts injected through these parameters, their browsers execute the attacker's code, which could redirect them to malicious sites, steal cookies and session tokens, or modify the gallery's appearance to display unwanted content. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where the gallery serves as a public-facing interface, as it can be exploited by anyone with access to the application's URL structure. The attack follows the typical pattern described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript', where attackers leverage JavaScript execution capabilities to compromise user sessions and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address the fundamental input validation and output encoding failures that enable the XSS attack. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization mechanisms that filter or escape all user-supplied data before processing, particularly for parameters that are rendered in web page contexts. The application should employ proper output encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding for dynamic content insertion, and implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit script execution capabilities. Additionally, regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar input handling issues throughout the application. The remediation approach aligns with security best practices outlined in OWASP Top 10 2021, specifically addressing the A03:2021-Injection category, and should include comprehensive testing of all user input parameters against known XSS attack patterns to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future versions of the application.