CVE-2009-0805 in piCal
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in piCal 0.91h and earlier, a module for XOOPS, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the event_id parameter in index.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/31/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-0805 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the piCal module version 0.91h and earlier, which operates as a calendar component for the XOOPS content management system. This vulnerability specifically targets the event_id parameter within the index.php file, creating an exploitable entry point that enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the application's response. The piCal module serves as a calendar functionality extension for XOOPS, which is a popular open-source content management framework that hosts numerous websites and web applications. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the module's codebase, particularly in how it processes user-supplied data from the event_id parameter.
The technical exploitation of this XSS vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing script code and passes it through the event_id parameter in the index.php URL. When the vulnerable application processes this parameter without proper sanitization, it incorporates the malicious script into the HTML response that gets delivered to unsuspecting users. This allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of the victim's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. The vulnerability is classified as a stored XSS when the malicious input is permanently stored and later retrieved, or as a reflected XSS when the payload is immediately reflected back in the response. The impact is particularly severe because the piCal module is commonly used within web applications that may contain sensitive user data or administrative functions, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to compromise user sessions or gain unauthorized access to the underlying system.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations utilizing XOOPS platforms with the affected piCal module versions. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from anywhere on the internet without requiring local system access or authentication. Users who view calendar events or interact with the module may unknowingly execute malicious code, potentially leading to complete browser compromise and data exfiltration. The vulnerability affects the integrity of the web application's user interface and can be leveraged to perform various malicious activities including defacement, credential harvesting, or establishing persistent access through session manipulation. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content. Organizations running affected versions of piCal should immediately implement security patches or apply mitigation measures to prevent exploitation, as the vulnerability can be exploited by automated scanning tools and is particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently interact with calendar-based content.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability requires immediate deployment of patches provided by the XOOPS development team or the piCal module maintainers. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the affected module versions across their web infrastructure. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms can serve as effective mitigations in cases where patching is not immediately possible. Security configurations should include regular monitoring for unauthorized modifications to calendar modules and user access controls to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date web application components and implementing robust security practices such as content security policies and regular security audits to prevent similar issues in other modules or applications within the XOOPS ecosystem.