CVE-2008-6988 in Ezphotogallery
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Easy Photo Gallery (aka Ezphotogallery) 2.1 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) galleryid parameter to gallery.php, and the (2) size or (3) imageid parameters to show.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/03/2024
The CVE-2008-6988 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Easy Photo Gallery version 2.1, a widely used web application for displaying photographic content. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the gallery.php and show.php scripts of the application. Attackers can exploit this weakness by manipulating specific parameters to inject malicious code that executes in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the compromised systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through three distinct attack vectors that target different parameters within the application's PHP scripts. The first vector involves manipulation of the galleryid parameter in gallery.php, while the second and third vectors target the size and imageid parameters respectively in show.php. These parameters are processed without adequate sanitization or encoding, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code or HTML content directly into the application's response. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices where user-supplied data flows directly into the web page output without proper context-aware encoding, making it susceptible to XSS exploitation. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects core functionality parameters that are frequently used by legitimate users, making detection and prevention more challenging for system administrators.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-6988 extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, steal user credentials, redirect victims to malicious sites, or even execute arbitrary commands on affected systems. When exploited, these vulnerabilities can lead to complete compromise of user sessions, data exfiltration, and establishment of persistent backdoors within the web application environment. The attack surface is significant as any user who interacts with the gallery application could become a victim, particularly when the gallery is accessible to unauthenticated users. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through malicious web content and T1059.007 for script injection attacks, making it a prime target for both automated exploitation tools and targeted attacks against web applications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-6988 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-supplied parameters. The most effective approach involves applying context-specific encoding to all output generated from user inputs, particularly for HTML, JavaScript, and URL contexts. System administrators should implement proper parameter validation that rejects or sanitizes potentially malicious input before processing. Additionally, the application should employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the execution of inline scripts and restrict external resource loading. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of keeping web applications updated, as version 2.1 of Easy Photo Gallery was likely vulnerable due to lack of proper security controls that would have been implemented in later versions. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts targeting known XSS vulnerabilities.