CVE-2010-4907 in ZenPhoto
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in zp-core/admin.php in Zenphoto 1.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the user parameter. NOTE: the from parameter is already covered by CVE-2009-4562.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4907 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the Zenphoto content management system version 1.3, specifically affecting the admin.php file. This issue falls under the broader category of web application security vulnerabilities that can compromise user sessions and data integrity. The vulnerability manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input, particularly in the user parameter handling mechanism, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers. This particular weakness demonstrates how insufficient input validation can create persistent security risks within web applications.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the user parameter within the admin.php script, where the application does not adequately filter or escape user-supplied data before processing. When a malicious user crafts a specially formatted request containing script code within the user parameter, the vulnerable application processes this input without proper sanitization, leading to the execution of unauthorized scripts in the victim's browser context. The vulnerability is classified as a reflected XSS attack since the malicious script is reflected back to the user through the application's response. This type of vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 which defines the weakness of cross-site scripting, and it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.008 for scripting and T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers can leverage this to execute malicious code through web interfaces.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-4907 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information, manipulate user data, or redirect users to malicious websites. An attacker could potentially escalate privileges by exploiting this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to administrative functions, especially since the flaw exists within the admin.php file. The vulnerability's presence in the core administrative interface makes it particularly dangerous as it could allow unauthorized individuals to compromise the entire Zenphoto installation. The attack vector requires minimal technical expertise, making it a significant risk for organizations using vulnerable versions of Zenphoto.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of the Zenphoto application to the latest available version that addresses this specific XSS flaw. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout their web applications, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being processed or displayed. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting script execution within the application's context. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in web applications, while security awareness training for developers can help prevent such flaws in future code development. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Top Ten and other industry security standards, particularly focusing on input validation and output encoding to prevent XSS attacks.