CVE-2013-5320 in mojoPortal
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Forums/EditPost.aspx in mojoPortal before 2.3.9.8 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the txtSubject parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5320 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the mojoPortal content management system, specifically affecting versions prior to 2.3.9.8. This issue resides in the Forums/EditPost.aspx page, which serves as a critical component for forum post management and editing functionality. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it within web pages. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads through the txtSubject parameter, which is typically used for post subject lines in forum discussions. The flaw demonstrates a clear failure in the application's security architecture to implement proper sanitization controls for dynamic content injection points.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows established patterns for XSS attacks where user input flows directly into HTML output without adequate sanitization. When a user submits a post with malicious content through the txtSubject field, the application processes this input without proper HTML escaping or validation, allowing attackers to inject script tags, javascript code, or other malicious HTML elements. This creates a persistent XSS vector that can affect all users who view the compromised forum posts. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as "Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')", which is one of the most prevalent and well-documented web application security flaws. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that forum systems typically handle user-generated content from multiple sources, amplifying the potential impact of successful exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious sites. When users browse forum pages containing the injected malicious content, their browsers execute the embedded scripts within the context of the vulnerable application, potentially compromising their sessions and exposing sensitive information. The vulnerability affects not only individual users but also the broader community of forum participants who may inadvertently encounter malicious content. This type of vulnerability can be leveraged for account takeover attacks, as attackers can capture session cookies or redirect users to phishing pages. The persistence of the vulnerability across multiple user interactions makes it particularly dangerous in community-driven platforms where user-generated content is prevalent.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding controls. The primary remediation involves updating to mojoPortal version 2.3.9.8 or later, which includes proper sanitization mechanisms for user inputs. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts, and employ regular security scanning to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. The fix typically involves implementing proper HTML encoding for all user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages, ensuring that special characters are properly escaped to prevent script execution. Additionally, security teams should conduct thorough code reviews focusing on all input handling points and implement automated testing procedures that include XSS vulnerability scanning. This vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and demonstrates how seemingly simple input validation failures can create significant security risks in web applications. The remediation process should also include user education about recognizing and reporting potentially malicious content, as well as implementing proper access controls to limit the damage that can be caused by compromised accounts.