CVE-2008-5271 in SyndeoCMS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in Fred Stuurman SyndeoCMS 2.6.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the section parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2024
The CVE-2008-5271 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in Fred Stuurman SyndeoCMS version 2.6.0, specifically within the index.php script. This vulnerability exposes the content management system to malicious injection attacks that can compromise user sessions and potentially lead to unauthorized access or data exfiltration. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input passed through the section parameter, creating an exploitable entry point for remote attackers seeking to execute malicious code within the context of a victim's browser.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the SyndeoCMS application framework. When the section parameter is processed without adequate sanitization, malicious payloads can be injected and subsequently rendered in the web application's response. This allows attackers to craft specially formatted URLs containing script code that executes in the victim's browser when the page loads. The vulnerability specifically affects the index.php file which serves as the primary entry point for content delivery, making it a critical component of the attack surface. The flaw aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding, where insufficient validation of user-supplied data leads to the execution of malicious scripts.
Operationally, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations utilizing SyndeoCMS 2.6.0, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code in the context of authenticated users. Attackers can leverage this weakness to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious sites, or harvest sensitive information from the web application. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that serve multiple users. The impact extends beyond simple script injection, potentially allowing for privilege escalation attacks or the establishment of persistent backdoors within the compromised environment, as noted in the ATT&CK framework's methodology for web application exploitation techniques.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-5271 should prioritize immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding measures to prevent malicious code execution. Organizations must ensure that all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in dynamic content generation, undergo proper sanitization before being processed or rendered. The recommended approach includes implementing strict input validation that rejects or escapes potentially dangerous characters and sequences, combined with proper output encoding for all dynamic content. Additionally, upgrading to a patched version of SyndeoCMS or implementing web application firewalls with XSS detection capabilities provides layered protection against exploitation attempts. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify similar input validation weaknesses throughout the application codebase and implement secure coding practices that align with industry standards such as OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines to prevent future occurrences of this class of vulnerability.