CVE-2009-3420 in Miniweb
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in index.php in the Publisher module 2.0 for Miniweb allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) begin parameter and the (2) PATH_INFO.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2024
The CVE-2009-3420 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness in the Publisher module version 2.0 for Miniweb content management system. This vulnerability exists within the index.php file and creates a significant security risk for web applications that rely on this module for content publishing and management. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing and rendering within web pages. The vulnerability affects both the begin parameter and PATH_INFO variables, indicating that the security flaw is not isolated to a single input vector but spans multiple data entry points within the application's request handling mechanism.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic XSS attack pattern where malicious actors can inject arbitrary web script or HTML code into the application's response. When the application processes the begin parameter or PATH_INFO values without proper sanitization, it directly incorporates these unvalidated inputs into the generated HTML output. This creates an environment where attackers can execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of victims. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and it maps to ATT&CK technique T1531 which involves the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities to execute malicious code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to compromise user sessions and potentially gain persistent access to the affected web application. Remote attackers can craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that, when executed by unsuspecting users, can steal authentication cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or modify the application's behavior. The vulnerability's presence in the Publisher module suggests that content management operations become attack vectors themselves, potentially compromising the integrity of published content and the security of the entire web application ecosystem. Organizations using this vulnerable module face significant risk of data breaches and unauthorized access to their content management systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-3420 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-supplied data. The primary remediation involves sanitizing all input parameters including begin and PATH_INFO values before processing them within the application. Security measures should include implementing proper HTML entity encoding for all dynamic content, utilizing Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution, and implementing input validation frameworks that reject or sanitize potentially malicious content. Organizations should also consider upgrading to patched versions of the Miniweb Publisher module, as the vulnerability represents a known flaw that has likely been addressed in subsequent releases. Additionally, regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web application components, and application developers should follow secure coding practices that emphasize input validation and output encoding as fundamental security controls.