CVE-2009-4746 in DreamPoll
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in Dreamlevels DreamPoll 3.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the recordsPerPage parameter in a poll_default login action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/03/2026
The CVE-2009-4746 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw in the Dreamlevels DreamPoll 3.1 polling system that exposes users to potential malicious code execution. This vulnerability specifically targets the index.php script and occurs during the poll_default login action when processing the recordsPerPage parameter. The flaw arises from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's handling of user-supplied data, creating an attack surface where remote adversaries can inject malicious web scripts or HTML content directly into the application's response.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize or escape user input before incorporating it into dynamic web content. When the recordsPerPage parameter is submitted through the poll_default login action, the system processes this input without adequate validation checks or encoding transformations. This creates a condition where malicious actors can craft specially formatted input that, when rendered by the browser, executes unintended scripts within the context of the victim's session. The vulnerability operates under the CWE-79 classification as a cross-site scripting weakness, specifically categorized as a reflected XSS attack since the malicious payload is reflected back to the user through the application's response.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary code within the victim's browser context. This allows for session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious sites, and potential privilege escalation within the application's context. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious URLs containing script payloads that, when visited by authenticated users, execute the attacker's code. The attack requires no special privileges beyond access to the vulnerable application and can be delivered through various vectors including email phishing, compromised websites, or social engineering tactics. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where users have elevated privileges within the DreamPoll system, as it could potentially enable full system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-4746 must address both the immediate input validation gap and implement comprehensive security controls to prevent similar vulnerabilities. The primary remediation involves implementing proper input sanitization and output encoding for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in dynamic content generation. This includes validating the recordsPerPage parameter to ensure it contains only expected numeric values and properly encoding all output to prevent script execution. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, employ proper parameter validation frameworks, and conduct regular security testing including dynamic application security testing. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 for social engineering and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, making comprehensive security awareness training essential alongside technical controls. Additionally, the application should be updated to a patched version of DreamPoll that properly handles user input validation and implements robust security measures against XSS attacks.