CVE-2009-4684 in EZodiak
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in EZodiak allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the sign parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/02/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-4684 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the EZodiak web application, specifically affecting the index.php script. This security weakness enables malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers through manipulation of the sign parameter. The vulnerability falls under the broader category of injection attacks that have been consistently ranked among the top security risks by organizations such as OWASP and the SANS Institute.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability occurs when the EZodiak application fails to properly sanitize or encode user input received through the sign parameter in the index.php file. When a user submits data containing malicious script code through this parameter, the application processes and displays the input without adequate validation or output encoding, creating an environment where attacker-controlled code can be executed in the victim's browser. This type of vulnerability is classified as reflected XSS according to CWE-79, which specifically addresses the scenario where malicious scripts are reflected off a web server to a victim's browser.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack vectors including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious sites. Attackers can leverage this weakness to steal cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive information from authenticated users. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal user interaction beyond visiting a maliciously crafted URL containing the exploit payload. According to ATT&CK framework, this represents a technique categorized under T1059.007 for Scripting and T1531 for Account Access via credential theft, making it a significant threat to application security and user privacy.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-4684 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user inputs, particularly those that are reflected back to users, through proper HTML entity encoding and implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution. Organizations should also consider implementing proper parameter validation and employing secure coding practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding as fundamental security controls that should be implemented at multiple layers of application architecture to prevent such injection attacks from compromising user sessions and data integrity.