CVE-2008-7060 in One-News
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in One-News Beta 2 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary HTML and web script via the (1) title or (2) content parameters in a news item to add.php, and the (3) itemnum, (4) author, or (5) comment parameters in a comment to index.php. NOTE: vectors 1 and 2 require user authentication.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/17/2017
The CVE-2008-7060 vulnerability represents a significant cross-site scripting weakness in the One-News Beta 2 content management system that exposes multiple attack vectors allowing remote code execution through malicious script injection. This vulnerability classifies under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize user input, creating opportunities for attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of victim browsers. The flaw exists in the web application's handling of user-supplied data within the news item submission and comment functionality, specifically targeting parameters that control display content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the One-News application. Attackers can exploit the vulnerability through multiple pathways including the title and content parameters in the add.php endpoint, which require authenticated user access for vectors one and two, while vectors three through five target the index.php comment functionality with itemnum, author, or comment parameters. The vulnerability demonstrates poor secure coding practices where user input flows directly into HTML output without proper sanitization or context-appropriate encoding. This design flaw allows attackers to inject malicious HTML and JavaScript code that executes within the browser context of authenticated users, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further exploitation of the compromised user accounts.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-7060 extends beyond simple script injection, as it creates a persistent threat vector that can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks within the application's security boundaries. When authenticated users interact with compromised content, the injected scripts execute in their browser context, potentially enabling attackers to access sensitive information, modify content, or redirect users to malicious sites. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1566.001 highlights its potential for initial access through malicious web content, while its exploitation can lead to privilege escalation and lateral movement within the application's user management system. The requirement for user authentication on some vectors does not mitigate the overall risk, as it merely requires attackers to obtain valid credentials through other means such as credential stuffing, phishing, or password reuse attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-7060 must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The primary solution involves implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms that sanitize all user-supplied data before rendering in HTML contexts. This includes applying context-appropriate encoding such as HTML entity encoding for display contexts and proper JavaScript escaping for dynamic content insertion. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of defense-in-depth approaches where multiple layers of security controls work together to prevent exploitation. Regular security testing including automated vulnerability scanning and manual penetration testing should be implemented to identify similar issues in other application components. Additionally, the application should enforce strict access controls and implement proper session management to limit the damage potential of any successful exploitation attempts. Security awareness training for developers on secure coding practices and the importance of input validation remains essential for preventing similar vulnerabilities in future application development cycles.