CVE-2009-4547 in ViArt
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in ViArt CMS 3.x allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) category_id parameter to forums.php, or the forum_id parameter to (2) forum.php or (3) forum_topic_new.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/14/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-4547 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within ViArt CMS version 3.x, specifically affecting the forums component of the content management system. This vulnerability resides in the handling of user-supplied input parameters within three distinct PHP scripts, creating multiple attack vectors that could be exploited by remote attackers to execute malicious code within the context of users' browsers. The affected parameters include category_id in forums.php, forum_id in forum.php, and forum_id in forum_topic_new.php, all of which fail to properly sanitize or validate incoming data before processing.
This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications. The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic input validation failure where the application directly incorporates user-provided parameters into dynamically generated HTML content without appropriate sanitization or encoding mechanisms. The flaw occurs because the CMS does not implement proper output encoding or input validation for parameters that are used to construct dynamic web content, particularly within forum-related functionalities where users might naturally provide content through various interface elements.
The operational impact of CVE-2009-4547 extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, deface the affected website, or redirect users to malicious domains. When a victim visits a compromised forum page, the injected malicious scripts execute in their browser context, potentially stealing session cookies, modifying page content, or redirecting users to phishing sites. The vulnerability affects the core forum functionality of ViArt CMS, making it particularly dangerous as it targets user interaction points where legitimate users might provide input that gets rendered back to other users. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that appear to come from trusted forum sources, making detection and prevention more challenging for end users.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding across all user-supplied parameters. The recommended approach includes implementing proper parameter sanitization using functions such as htmlspecialchars() or similar encoding mechanisms before any user input is rendered in HTML output. Additionally, developers should implement a whitelist-based validation approach for all parameters that are used to construct dynamic content, ensuring that only expected and safe values are accepted. The principle of least privilege should be applied by restricting the execution context of user-provided data and implementing Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution. Organizations using ViArt CMS should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious parameter patterns, and regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar input validation issues within the application codebase. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection and T1566 for social engineering through compromised web interfaces, emphasizing the need for comprehensive defense-in-depth strategies to protect against such persistent threats.