CVE-2009-3367 in An image gallery
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in An image gallery 1.0 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the path parameter to (1) index.php and (2) main.php, and the (3) show parameter to main.php. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-3367 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness affecting An image gallery version 1.0. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category known as "Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')", which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. The vulnerability manifests in three distinct attack vectors within the gallery application's parameter handling mechanisms.
The technical flaw occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize user input passed through specific parameters in the web requests. Attackers can exploit this weakness by injecting malicious JavaScript code or HTML content through the path parameter in index.php and main.php, as well as through the show parameter in main.php. These parameters are directly incorporated into the web page output without adequate input validation or output encoding, creating an environment where malicious scripts can execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability essentially allows an attacker to hijack user sessions, deface web pages, or redirect users to malicious sites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables remote code execution within user browsers without requiring any authentication or privileged access. An attacker can craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that, when visited by unsuspecting users, will execute the injected code in their browser context. This creates a persistent threat where users who view infected gallery pages become victims of the attack, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the compromised systems. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the image gallery by compromising the integrity of the user interface and potentially exposing sensitive user data.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The recommended approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through parameterized queries and HTML encoding before rendering any content. Additionally, implementing a Content Security Policy (CSP) can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript) and T1566 (Phishing) as attackers can leverage this weakness to deliver malicious payloads. The application should also implement proper error handling to prevent information leakage and consider using web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns. Regular security audits and input validation testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components and ensure comprehensive protection against cross-site scripting threats.