CVE-2010-1629 in Phorum
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Phorum before 5.2.15 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via an invalid email address.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/05/2019
The CVE-2010-1629 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw affecting Phorum versions prior to 5.2.15, demonstrating how seemingly benign input validation mechanisms can become attack vectors for malicious code execution. This vulnerability specifically targets the email address validation process within the Phorum forum software, where improper sanitization of user input allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers. The flaw exploits the software's failure to properly escape or validate email address data before rendering it in web pages, creating an environment where attacker-controlled content can be interpreted as executable JavaScript code rather than plain text.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input filtering within Phorum's user registration and message posting functionality. When users submit invalid email addresses or when the system processes malformed email data, the application fails to sanitize the input through proper encoding or escaping mechanisms. This allows attackers to craft email addresses containing script tags or other malicious payloads that get rendered in web pages without proper context isolation. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, where applications fail to properly validate or escape user-controllable data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. The attack vector leverages the principle that web applications must treat all user input as potentially malicious and sanitize it appropriately before use.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to forum administrators and users alike, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the browsers of other forum participants. An attacker could potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, or perform actions on behalf of victims within the forum environment. The impact extends beyond simple script execution to include potential data exfiltration, account takeovers, and the ability to spread malware through compromised user sessions. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers need only submit malicious email addresses through the forum interface to compromise other users, making it particularly dangerous in public or semi-public forum environments where many users interact regularly.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-1629 primarily involve implementing proper input validation and output encoding practices throughout the application. Organizations should immediately upgrade to Phorum version 5.2.15 or later, which includes the necessary patches to address the XSS vulnerability. Additionally, administrators should implement comprehensive input sanitization routines that properly escape special characters in email addresses and other user-controllable data before rendering them in web contexts. The solution aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers the exploitation of vulnerabilities for initial access, and T1059 which covers the execution of malicious code through scripting. Security teams should also consider implementing content security policies to add additional layers of protection against script execution, and conduct regular security audits to ensure that similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other parts of the application stack. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper input validation and output encoding in web application security, particularly in environments where user-generated content is processed and displayed to other users.