CVE-2008-6927 in cPanel
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in autoinstall4imagesgalleryupgrade.php in the Fantastico De Luxe Module for cPanel allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) localapp, (2) updatedir, (3) scriptpath_show, (4) domain_show, (5) thispage, (6) thisapp, and (7) currentversion parameters in an Upgrade action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/15/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-6927 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Fantastico De Luxe Module for cPanel, specifically affecting the autoinstall4imagesgalleryupgrade.php script. This module serves as an automated installation and upgrade tool for various web applications, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to exploit weaknesses in the cPanel ecosystem. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the upgrade functionality, creating persistent entry points for malicious code injection that can compromise user sessions and potentially lead to broader system compromise.
The technical flaw manifests through multiple parameter injection points within the upgrade action functionality, specifically targeting the localapp, updatedir, scriptpath_show, domain_show, thispage, thisapp, and currentversion parameters. These parameters are processed without adequate sanitization, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code or HTML content that gets executed in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through simple HTTP requests, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no special privileges or complex attack vectors. This weakness directly maps to CWE-79, which describes Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities where untrusted data is improperly sanitized before being rendered in web pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user credentials, manipulate web content, and potentially escalate privileges within the cPanel environment. Since cPanel serves as a control panel for hosting accounts, successful exploitation could provide attackers with access to multiple user accounts and their associated applications. The vulnerability affects the upgrade functionality specifically, which means it could be triggered during routine maintenance or when administrators attempt to update applications, creating opportunities for attackers to exploit the system during legitimate administrative activities. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as attackers can execute malicious scripts within the context of affected web applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate input validation and output encoding implementation. The recommended approach includes implementing strict parameter validation for all user-supplied inputs, particularly those used in the upgrade process, and ensuring that all output is properly escaped before being rendered in web pages. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities and deploy web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. Regular security assessments of cPanel modules and automated patch management processes should be established to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in the future. The fix requires modifications to the autoinstall4imagesgalleryupgrade.php script to sanitize all input parameters and ensure proper encoding of output data, which aligns with security best practices outlined in OWASP Top 10 and NIST cybersecurity frameworks.