CVE-2015-2949 in ZenPhoto
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in ZenPhoto20 1.1.3 and earlier 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-2015-2949 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in ZenPhoto20 version 1.1.3 and earlier installations. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting attacks where malicious code can be injected into web applications. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected user sessions, potentially compromising the entire web application ecosystem. ZenPhoto20, being a popular photo gallery management system, serves as a common target for such attacks due to its widespread deployment across various web environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the ZenPhoto20 codebase. Attackers can exploit unspecified vectors to inject malicious payloads that persist in the application's database or session storage, allowing the malicious code to execute whenever legitimate users access affected pages. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can facilitate session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple entry points within the application may be susceptible to this form of injection, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous as defenders struggle to identify all potential exploitation paths.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to organizations utilizing ZenPhoto20 installations, particularly those handling sensitive user data or serving as part of larger web infrastructures. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from anywhere on the internet without requiring local access or privileged credentials. Successful exploitation can lead to complete compromise of user sessions, unauthorized access to administrative functions, and potential lateral movement within network environments. The vulnerability's presence in versions up to 1.1.3 indicates that it was likely present for an extended period, providing attackers with ample time to develop and deploy exploitation tools. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting and T1566.001 for credential access, representing a significant threat to web application security.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-2949 should focus on immediate version upgrades to patched releases of ZenPhoto20, as the vulnerability was addressed in subsequent updates. Organizations must implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before processing or storage. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers and proper HTTP response headers can provide additional layers of protection against script injection attacks. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities within the application ecosystem. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing robust security practices to prevent successful exploitation of known vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to provide additional protection against similar XSS attack vectors.