CVE-2009-3355 in Buy Dating Site
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in profile.php in Datetopia Buy Dating Site 1.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the s_r parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/02/2025
The CVE-2009-3355 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw that emerged in the Datetopia Buy Dating Site version 1.0, specifically within the profile.php script. This vulnerability resides in the handling of user-supplied input through the s_r parameter, which serves as an entry point for malicious actors to execute unauthorized code within the context of other users' browsers. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental failure in input validation and output sanitization mechanisms that are critical for web application security.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's insufficient filtering of user-provided data before incorporating it into dynamic web page content. When the s_r parameter is processed by profile.php, the application fails to properly escape or encode special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This lack of proper input sanitization creates an environment where attackers can inject malicious payloads that execute in the victim's browser when the affected page is rendered. The vulnerability operates under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically classified as a stored XSS variant where the malicious script is permanently stored on the server and executed whenever the affected page is accessed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it enables attackers to perform a range of malicious activities through the compromised user sessions. An attacker could inject scripts that steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, modify page content, or even execute commands on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability particularly affects users who view the compromised profiles, as the injected scripts execute in their browsers without their knowledge. This creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited repeatedly, as the malicious content remains stored on the server and is automatically executed whenever the affected page is accessed.
Security practitioners should note that this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious content and T1531 for modification of existing content. The remediation strategy must focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. All user-supplied input should be sanitized using allow-list validation approaches, and output should be properly encoded based on the context where it is rendered. Additionally, the application should implement Content Security Policy headers to mitigate the impact of any remaining XSS vulnerabilities. Regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual code reviews should be conducted to identify similar flaws in other parameters and scripts within the application. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in preventing XSS attacks, particularly in web applications that handle user-generated content.