CVE-2011-5045 in PHP Booking Calendar
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in details_view.php in PHP Booking Calendar 10e allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the page_info_message parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2025
The CVE-2011-5045 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw in the PHP Booking Calendar 10e web application, specifically within the details_view.php script. This vulnerability classifies under CWE-79 as an improper neutralization of input during web output, making it a critical security concern for web applications handling user input. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the page_info_message parameter, which serves as an entry point for attackers to inject malicious payloads. When a user visits a page that displays information from this parameter without proper input validation or output encoding, the injected script executes in the victim's browser session. This allows attackers to perform actions such as stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, defacing web pages, or conducting more sophisticated attacks like credential theft. The vulnerability specifically affects the details_view.php component, suggesting that the application's input handling mechanisms are insufficient to protect against XSS attacks in this particular module.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-5045 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it can enable persistent attacks against users of the booking calendar system. Attackers can craft malicious URLs that, when clicked by unsuspecting users, automatically execute harmful scripts in their browsers. This creates a vector for phishing attacks, session hijacking, and potential privilege escalation if the application's authentication system is compromised. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the booking calendar, which likely handles sensitive user information, reservation data, and potentially payment-related details. Organizations using this software face significant risk of data breaches, reputational damage, and potential regulatory compliance violations, particularly if the calendar system is used for business-critical booking processes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-5045 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening. The primary fix involves implementing proper input validation and output encoding techniques, specifically ensuring that all user-supplied data passed through the page_info_message parameter is sanitized before being rendered in web pages. This approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566.001 for credential access through phishing. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy headers, employ proper HTML escaping mechanisms, and conduct thorough input validation to prevent malicious payloads from being executed. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar issues in other components of the application, while application developers should follow secure coding practices and consider implementing automated input sanitization libraries to prevent such vulnerabilities from recurring in future versions of the software.