CVE-2009-2887 in President Bios
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in bios.php in PHP Scripts Now President Bios allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the rank parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/26/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-2887 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the PHP Scripts Now President Bios application, specifically affecting the bios.php script. This weakness enables malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code through manipulation of the rank parameter, creating a significant security risk for web applications that process user input without proper sanitization. The vulnerability falls under the broader category of injection attacks and aligns with CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting as a critical weakness in web applications where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied input from the rank parameter before incorporating it into the web page output. This allows an attacker to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected page. The flaw demonstrates poor input handling practices and inadequate output encoding mechanisms that are fundamental requirements for preventing XSS attacks. When a user visits a page containing malicious content injected through the rank parameter, their browser executes the injected script, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or redirection to malicious sites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can compromise the integrity and confidentiality of user data within the application environment. Attackers can leverage this weakness to steal session cookies, modify content displayed to other users, or redirect them to phishing sites that mimic legitimate services. The vulnerability particularly affects web applications that rely on user-generated content or dynamic parameter processing, making it a significant concern for content management systems, user profile management applications, and any web interface that accepts and displays user input. This weakness can be exploited through various attack vectors including social engineering, where attackers craft malicious URLs that users might inadvertently click on, or through automated scanning tools that systematically test for such vulnerabilities across web applications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-2887 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user input parameters, particularly those used in dynamic content generation, through proper validation techniques that reject or escape potentially dangerous characters. Developers should employ context-specific output encoding when displaying user-supplied data, ensuring that HTML, JavaScript, and other potentially harmful content cannot be executed. This approach aligns with the principle of least privilege and follows established security frameworks such as the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded and executed within the browser environment. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security testing including automated vulnerability scanning and manual penetration testing to identify and remediate similar weaknesses before they can be exploited by malicious actors. Organizations should maintain up-to-date security patches and implement secure coding practices throughout the software development lifecycle to prevent such vulnerabilities from being introduced in the first place.