CVE-2011-4561 in Phorum
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in admin.php in Phorum 5.2.18 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the PATH_INFO to admin/index.php. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/31/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-4561 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Phorum 5.2.18 content management system, specifically affecting the admin.php component. This weakness resides in the application's handling of the PATH_INFO parameter when processing requests to admin/index.php, creating an exploitable vector for malicious actors to execute unauthorized code within the context of affected user browsers. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that enables attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The issue demonstrates a classic input validation failure where the application fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic web content.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers manipulate the PATH_INFO parameter to inject malicious scripts or HTML code into the administrative interface. This allows threat actors to bypass normal authentication mechanisms and potentially gain unauthorized access to administrative functions, escalate privileges, or execute arbitrary commands within the application's context. The flaw specifically targets the administrative section of the Phorum system, making it particularly dangerous as it could enable attackers to compromise the entire platform's administrative capabilities. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script injection, as it could facilitate session hijacking, data theft, or even complete system compromise depending on the privileges of the targeted users.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability are severe for organizations utilizing Phorum 5.2.18, as it creates multiple attack vectors for malicious actors to compromise the application's integrity and availability. Attackers could leverage this weakness to deface web pages, steal sensitive administrative credentials, manipulate database content, or establish persistent backdoors within the system. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous for web applications exposed to public networks. Organizations using this version of Phorum face significant risk of data breaches and unauthorized system access, as the flaw allows for persistent malicious activities that could go undetected for extended periods.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-4561 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected Phorum version to the latest available release, as this addresses the core input validation flaw. Organizations should implement comprehensive output encoding mechanisms to sanitize all user inputs before processing, particularly focusing on the PATH_INFO parameter handling within administrative interfaces. Network-level protections including web application firewalls and input validation rules can provide additional defense-in-depth layers. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities within the application's codebase. The implementation of proper access controls and privilege separation within the administrative interface can limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should establish robust monitoring systems to detect suspicious activities and unauthorized access attempts within their web applications, following the principles of the MITRE ATT&CK framework's web application attack patterns.