CVE-2015-2948 in ZenPhoto
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the image processor in Zenphoto before 1.4.8 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/02/2019
The CVE-2015-2948 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Zenphoto's image processing component, affecting versions prior to 1.4.8. This vulnerability resides in the image processor module which handles various image manipulation tasks for the content management system. The flaw enables remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML code into the application's response, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script injection as it can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and defacement of web content.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The vulnerability occurs due to insufficient input validation and output encoding within the image processor's handling of user-supplied data. Attackers can exploit this weakness by submitting malicious payloads through image upload processes or image manipulation parameters that are not properly sanitized. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple entry points within the image processing pipeline could be compromised, making the vulnerability particularly concerning from a security perspective.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses significant risks to Zenphoto installations, particularly those handling user-generated content or serving as platforms for multimedia sharing. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or administrative privileges to exploit the vulnerability. Users who visit compromised pages or interact with maliciously uploaded images may unknowingly execute attacker-controlled code within their browser context. This can lead to unauthorized access to user accounts, data exfiltration, and potential establishment of persistent backdoors within the affected web application environment.
The exploitation of this vulnerability can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1566, specifically targeting credential access through phishing and social engineering methods. Attackers may leverage the XSS vulnerability to steal user session cookies, redirect victims to malicious sites, or inject malicious JavaScript that harvests sensitive information from the browser. The impact on system security extends beyond immediate exploitation as compromised user sessions can provide attackers with extended access to the system, potentially enabling further lateral movement within network environments where the vulnerable Zenphoto installation exists.
Organizations using affected Zenphoto versions should immediately implement mitigation strategies including updating to version 1.4.8 or later, implementing proper input validation mechanisms, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. Additionally, regular security assessments and monitoring of web application logs should be conducted to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper output encoding and input sanitization in web applications, particularly those handling user uploads and multimedia content processing. Security teams should also consider implementing content security policies to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts and reduce the potential impact of successful XSS attacks.