CVE-2008-6925 in ZenPhoto
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in function.php in Zenphoto 1.1.7 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors in the "request logging" feature. 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 • 04/02/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-6925 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the Zenphoto content management system version 1.1.7, specifically within the function.php file. This issue falls under the category of client-side injection vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of a victim's browser. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it exists within the request logging feature, which suggests that the application processes and potentially displays user-provided data without adequate sanitization or encoding mechanisms.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the Zenphoto application's logging functionality. When the system processes user requests and logs them, it fails to properly sanitize or escape potentially malicious input before rendering it in web pages. This creates an environment where attackers can inject malicious scripts that will execute in the browsers of other users who view the logged data. The unspecified vectors indicate that multiple attack paths may exist within the logging mechanism, making the vulnerability more pervasive and difficult to fully mitigate through targeted fixes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious websites. An attacker could craft specially formatted requests that, when logged and subsequently viewed by administrators or other users, would execute scripts that steal cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or even modify the application's behavior. This type of vulnerability directly violates security principles outlined in CWE-79, which addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments or links.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase, particularly within the logging and data display functions. The recommended approach includes implementing proper HTML entity encoding for all user-provided data before rendering it in web pages, utilizing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, and employing regular expression validation to filter out potentially malicious input patterns. Additionally, application developers should conduct thorough code reviews focusing on all data handling pathways, especially those involving logging and user interaction components. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices and input validation in web applications, as highlighted by the OWASP Top Ten security risks that consistently rank XSS among the most prevalent web application vulnerabilities. Organizations using affected versions of Zenphoto should immediately upgrade to patched versions or implement temporary workarounds that sanitize all logged data before display, while also monitoring for any signs of exploitation attempts in their system logs.