CVE-2015-4135 in PHPWind
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in goto.php in phpwind 8.7 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the url parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/19/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-4135 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the phpwind 8.7 content management system, specifically within the goto.php script. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input through the url parameter, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize or escape user-provided data before incorporating it into dynamic web content. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that has persisted across numerous platforms and frameworks. The vulnerability enables attackers to craft malicious URLs that, when clicked by unsuspecting users, can execute scripts in their browser sessions, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can be leveraged to perform sophisticated attacks that compromise user sessions and data integrity within the phpwind platform. An attacker could craft a malicious URL containing JavaScript payloads that would execute when users navigate to the affected goto.php script, potentially stealing cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive information. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require local system access or privileged accounts to exploit it, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently click on links from untrusted sources. The attack vector through the url parameter suggests that the vulnerability could be exploited via phishing campaigns, social engineering, or by manipulating legitimate links that point to the vulnerable script. This weakness directly violates the principle of least privilege and can undermine the security model of the entire web application by allowing unauthorized code execution in user contexts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-4135 should focus on implementing proper input validation, output encoding, and secure coding practices throughout the phpwind application. The most effective immediate solution involves sanitizing all user input through strict validation mechanisms that reject or escape potentially dangerous characters and patterns before processing them within the application. Developers should implement context-specific output encoding to ensure that any user-supplied data is properly escaped when rendered in HTML contexts, preventing script execution. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding guidelines such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and the CWE guidelines for preventing XSS attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers as an additional defense-in-depth measure to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts. Regular security audits, input validation testing, and code reviews are essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future versions of the application. The remediation process should include updating to patched versions of phpwind, implementing proper parameter validation, and establishing secure coding standards that prevent the injection of untrusted data into web page content. This vulnerability highlights the critical need for continuous security awareness and the implementation of automated security testing within development lifecycle processes to prevent such flaws from reaching production environments.