CVE-2009-2156 in TorrentTrader Classic
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in TorrentTrader Classic 1.09 allow remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the Title field to requests.php, related to viewrequests.php; and (2) the Torrent Name field to torrents-upload.php, related to the logging of torrent uploads; and allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (3) the ttversion parameter to themes/default/footer.php, the (4) SITENAME and (5) CURUSER[username] parameters to themes/default/header.php, (6) the todayactive parameter to visitorstoday.php, (7) the activepeople parameter to visitorsnow.php, (8) the faq_categ[999][title] parameter to faq.php, and (9) the keepget parameter to torrents-details.php.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2024
The CVE-2009-2156 vulnerability represents a significant cross-site scripting weakness in TorrentTrader Classic 1.09, a popular torrent management system that was widely deployed in 2009. This vulnerability class falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, making it a critical concern for web application security. The vulnerability affects multiple components within the application's codebase, creating a broad attack surface that could be exploited by both authenticated and unauthenticated attackers. The presence of XSS vulnerabilities in this torrent management system demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in web applications, particularly those handling user-generated content and administrative functions.
The technical flaw manifests through multiple injection points that fail to properly sanitize user input before rendering it in web pages. In the first scenario, the Title field in requests.php allows authenticated users to inject malicious scripts that can be executed when other users view the request details through viewrequests.php. The second vulnerability occurs in torrents-upload.php where the Torrent Name field is not adequately sanitized during the logging of torrent uploads, creating an execution path for attackers to inject malicious code. These injection points demonstrate poor input validation practices that directly violate secure coding principles and are consistent with CWE-79's classification of insufficient output escaping. The vulnerability extends to several other endpoints including themes/default/footer.php, themes/default/header.php, visitorstoday.php, visitorsnow.php, faq.php, and torrents-details.php, each presenting distinct vectors for XSS exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial, as it allows attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of affected users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized administrative actions. The authenticated user context in the first two scenarios means that legitimate users with valid accounts can be exploited to carry out attacks against other users or the system itself. The unauthenticated nature of the remaining attack vectors makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as any visitor to the site could be targeted. The attack vectors span different functional areas of the application including user interface elements, administrative functions, and content management systems, indicating a systemic lack of proper input sanitization throughout the codebase. This vulnerability could enable attackers to establish persistent malicious presence within the application, potentially leading to complete system compromise through session manipulation or privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-2156 require immediate implementation of comprehensive input validation and output encoding measures across all affected application components. The primary defense involves implementing strict sanitization of all user inputs before they are processed or stored, using established libraries and frameworks that properly escape special characters and validate input formats. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. The remediation approach should follow ATT&CK framework techniques related to input validation and output encoding, specifically targeting the T1059.007 technique for command and scripting interpreter. Regular security audits and code reviews should focus on identifying similar vulnerabilities in other input fields, particularly those handling user-generated content. Additionally, the application should implement proper access controls and authentication mechanisms to limit the impact of any successful exploitation attempts, while also considering the implementation of Web Application Firewalls to detect and block malicious requests. The vulnerability serves as a critical reminder of the importance of secure coding practices and the necessity of comprehensive security testing throughout the application development lifecycle.