1. Introduction
The XOOPS Glossary Module glossaire-aff.php lettre Parameter XSS vulnerability is a cross-site scripting flaw in the XOOPS content management system. This allows an attacker to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, potentially stealing their cookies and gaining unauthorised access. Systems running vulnerable versions of XOOPS are at risk. A successful exploit could compromise confidentiality through cookie theft, impacting user accounts.
2. Technical Explanation
The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation in the ‘glossaire-aff.php’ script when handling the ‘lettre’ parameter. This allows an attacker to inject arbitrary JavaScript code that is then executed by a victim’s browser. The attack requires a user to visit a specially crafted URL containing the malicious payload. This has been assigned BID 7356 and relates to CWE-20, CWE-442, CWE-629, CWE-711, CWE-712, CWE-722, CWE-725, CWE-74, CWE-750, CWE-751, CWE-79, CWE-800, CWE-801, CWE-809, CWE-811, CWE-864, CWE-900, CWE-928, CWE-931 and CWE-990.
- Exploit mechanism: An attacker crafts a URL containing malicious JavaScript code within the ‘lettre’ parameter. When a user visits this URL, the script executes in their browser. For example:
http://example.com/glossaire-aff.php?lettre= - Scope: XOOPS installations using the Glossary Module are affected. Specific versions were not identified within this report.
3. Detection and Assessment
Confirming vulnerability requires checking the installed version of the XOOPS Glossary module, and testing for script injection.
- Quick checks: Check the XOOPS modules admin panel to identify the installed version of the Glossary Module.
- Scanning: Nessus or OpenVAS may detect this vulnerability using plugin IDs related to XSS in PHP applications (example only).
- Logs and evidence: Examine web server access logs for requests containing suspicious characters within the ‘lettre’ parameter of glossaire-aff.php.
# Example command placeholder:
# No specific command available without knowing XOOPS configuration. Check module version in admin panel.
4. Solution / Remediation Steps
A solution is currently unknown. The following steps outline a general approach to mitigate risk until a patch is released.
4.1 Preparation
- Ensure you have access to the file system where XOOPS is installed. A roll back plan involves restoring the backed-up files.
- A change window may be required depending on your organisation’s policies. Approval from a senior IT administrator might be needed.
4.2 Implementation
- Step 1: Review the glossaire-aff.php file for input validation related to the ‘lettre’ parameter.
- Step 2: Implement strict input sanitisation and output encoding for the ‘lettre’ parameter, using functions like htmlspecialchars() in PHP.
- Step 3: Restart the web server service if it was stopped.
4.3 Config or Code Example
Before
After
4.4 Security Practices Relevant to This Vulnerability
Several security practices can help prevent this type of issue.
- Practice 2: Output encoding prevents malicious scripts from being executed by the browser. Use appropriate encoding functions for different contexts.
4.5 Automation (Optional)
No automation steps are available due to lack of a specific patch or configuration change.
5. Verification / Validation
Confirm the fix by attempting to inject a test XSS payload and verifying that it is not executed.
- Post-fix check: Access glossaire-aff.php with a test payload (e.g.,
http://example.com/glossaire-aff.php?lettre=). The alert should not appear, and the code should be displayed as text. - Re-test: Repeat the earlier detection methods to confirm that the vulnerability is no longer present.
- Smoke test: Verify that users can still access and use the Glossary Module functionality without issues.
- Monitoring: Monitor web server logs for any attempts to inject malicious scripts into the ‘lettre’ parameter (example only).
# Post-fix command and expected output
# Access glossaire-aff.php with a test payload - should display as text, not execute the script.
6. Preventive Measures and Monitoring
Regular security assessments and updates are key to preventing this type of vulnerability.
- Baselines: Update your web server security baseline to include input validation and output encoding requirements (for example, a CIS control).
- Pipelines: Integrate Static Application Security Testing (SAST) into your development pipeline to identify potential XSS vulnerabilities early on.
- Asset and patch process: Implement a regular patch management cycle for all web applications, including XOOPS modules.
7. Risks, Side Effects, and Roll Back
- Risk or side effect 2: Changes to the core XOOPS files may be overwritten during future updates. Document all modifications carefully.
- Roll back: Restore the backed-up glossaire-aff.php file and database if issues occur. Restart the web server service.
8. References and Resources
Links to relevant resources regarding this vulnerability.
- Vendor advisory or bulletin: https://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=104931621609932&w=2
- NVD or CVE entry: No specific CVE identified within this report.
- Product or platform documentation relevant to the fix: https://xoops.org/