CVE-2012-6043 in PHP-Fusion
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in downloads.php in PHP-Fusion 7.02.04 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the cat_id parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2025
The CVE-2012-6043 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw in the PHP-Fusion content management system version 7.02.04. This vulnerability specifically affects the downloads.php script which handles file download functionality within the CMS. The flaw arises from insufficient input validation and output sanitization of the cat_id parameter, creating an exploitable entry point for malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the application's response.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is incorporated into web page content without proper validation or encoding. The cat_id parameter in downloads.php fails to properly sanitize user input before rendering it in the HTML output, allowing attackers to craft malicious payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers. This occurs because the application directly incorporates user-supplied data into dynamic web content without appropriate HTML entity encoding or other sanitization measures.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations using PHP-Fusion 7.02.04 as it enables remote code execution in the browser context of authenticated users. Attackers can leverage this flaw to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious sites, or even deliver malware through browser-based attacks. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as it can facilitate privilege escalation attacks where attackers manipulate the application's behavior to gain elevated access rights. This vulnerability particularly affects web applications that rely on user-generated content or download categories, making it a critical concern for content management systems handling user interactions.
The attack vector for this vulnerability follows the typical pattern described in the ATT&CK framework under technique T1566 for initial access through malicious content. Attackers can craft URLs containing malicious JavaScript payloads in the cat_id parameter, which when visited by other users trigger the XSS attack. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal privileges as it operates entirely within the web application layer, making it accessible to anyone with knowledge of the target system's URL structure. Organizations should consider implementing comprehensive input validation, output encoding, and Content Security Policy implementations to prevent such attacks. Additionally, regular security updates and patch management processes are essential to protect against known vulnerabilities like CVE-2012-6043 that have been documented and remediated in newer versions of PHP-Fusion.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of the affected PHP-Fusion version to the latest stable release, implementation of proper input sanitization for all user-supplied parameters, and deployment of web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious script injection attempts. Security teams should also conduct thorough code reviews focusing on parameter handling and output encoding practices, particularly in dynamic content generation scripts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to OWASP Top Ten security guidelines for preventing injection flaws in web applications. Organizations maintaining legacy systems should prioritize vulnerability remediation efforts and consider implementing additional security controls such as CSP headers and input validation libraries to reduce the attack surface and protect against similar XSS vulnerabilities.