CVE-2009-3147 in ReviewPost PHP Pro
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in showproduct.php in ReviewPost Pro vB3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the date parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/21/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-3147 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the ReviewPost Pro vB3 web application, specifically affecting the showproduct.php script. This issue arises from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly handle user-supplied data. The vulnerability manifests when the date parameter is manipulated by an attacker, allowing malicious code to be injected into the web application's response. The flaw exists at the intersection of web application security principles and user input handling, where the application fails to properly escape or validate data before rendering it in the browser context.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the date parameter within the showproduct.php endpoint. When an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing script code within this parameter, the application processes the input without adequate sanitization measures. The vulnerability is classified as a reflected XSS attack since the malicious script is reflected back to the user through the application's response without being stored. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The attack vector requires the victim to click on a specially crafted link containing the malicious payload, making it a client-side exploitation technique that leverages social engineering aspects of web security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary code within the context of the victim's browser session. This can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. The vulnerability affects the entire user base of the ReviewPost Pro vB3 application, potentially compromising all users who interact with the showproduct.php script. Attackers could exploit this weakness to steal user authentication cookies, modify page content, or redirect users to phishing sites. The vulnerability represents a significant risk to user privacy and application integrity, particularly in environments where sensitive product review data is handled. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1531 which involves the use of malicious code injection in web applications, and T1071.001 which covers application layer protocol usage including web protocols.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-3147 require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The application should implement strict validation of the date parameter to ensure it conforms to expected formats and reject any input containing potentially malicious characters. Input sanitization should be performed using established encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding for output rendering. The development team must implement proper parameter validation routines that reject non-conforming date formats and sanitize all user-supplied input before processing. Security patches should be applied immediately to address the root cause, and developers should follow secure coding practices that prevent XSS vulnerabilities through consistent input validation and output encoding. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional defense layers against such attacks, while establishing comprehensive testing procedures including dynamic application security testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in the codebase.