CVE-2011-5023 in Pligg
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Pligg CMS 1.1.4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the PATH_INFO to the search program, a different vulnerability than CVE-2011-3986.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2025
The CVE-2011-5023 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Pligg Content Management System version 1.1.4 that exposes web applications to remote code execution risks through malicious input manipulation. This vulnerability specifically targets the search functionality of the platform and leverages the PATH_INFO parameter to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content, creating a persistent threat vector that can be exploited by remote attackers without requiring authentication or privileged access. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental failure in input validation and output sanitization mechanisms that are essential for maintaining web application security boundaries.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the Pligg CMS fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input from the PATH_INFO parameter during search operations. When attackers craft malicious payloads and submit them through the search interface, the application processes these inputs without adequate filtering or encoding, allowing malicious scripts to execute within the context of other users' browsers. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, where applications fail to properly validate or encode user-provided data before rendering it in web pages. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be classified as a reflected XSS attack when the malicious input is immediately reflected back to users.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-5023 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it enables attackers to establish persistent sessions, steal user credentials, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of victims, and potentially escalate privileges within the compromised environment. The vulnerability's designation as distinct from CVE-2011-3986 indicates that while both issues affect the same application, they exploit different attack vectors, suggesting that the Pligg CMS suffered from multiple XSS vulnerabilities that could be chained together to create more sophisticated attacks. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious scripts that redirect users to phishing sites, steal session cookies, or inject additional malicious content that persists across user sessions.
Security practitioners should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies that include input validation at multiple layers of the application architecture, output encoding for all dynamic content, and regular security audits to identify similar vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1213 - Data from Information Repositories, where attackers can harvest sensitive information through web application exploitation. Organizations should deploy web application firewalls, implement strict input sanitization policies, and conduct regular penetration testing to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in their web applications. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of keeping CMS platforms updated with the latest security patches, as the affected Pligg version 1.1.4 likely contained multiple unaddressed security flaws that could be exploited in combination to create more severe impacts.