CVE-2009-4523

Source: cve@mitre.org

MEDIUM
4.3
Published: December 31, 2009 at 07:30 PM
Modified: April 9, 2025 at 12:30 AM

Vulnerability Description

Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in Zainu 1.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the searchSongKeyword parameter in a SearchSong action.

CVSS Metrics

Base Score
4.3
Severity
MEDIUM
Vector String
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N

Weaknesses (CWE)

Source: nvd@nist.gov

AI Security Analysis

01 // Technical Summary

Zainu 1.0 is vulnerable to a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. This vulnerability, exploitable via the searchSongKeyword parameter, can lead to account compromise, data theft, and website defacement.

02 // Vulnerability Mechanism

Step 1: Payload Delivery: The attacker crafts a malicious URL containing a JavaScript payload within the searchSongKeyword parameter. For example: index.php?action=SearchSong&searchSongKeyword=<script>alert('XSS')</script>. Step 2: Request Submission: The attacker sends the crafted URL to a victim, typically through phishing, social engineering, or by embedding it on a malicious website. Step 3: Server Processing: The vulnerable index.php script receives the request and retrieves the searchSongKeyword parameter. Step 4: Vulnerable Output: The script directly incorporates the attacker-supplied searchSongKeyword into the HTML response without proper sanitization or encoding. Step 5: Browser Execution: The victim's browser receives the malicious HTML, including the injected JavaScript payload. The browser then executes the JavaScript, leading to the attacker's desired actions (e.g., cookie theft, redirection, defacement).

03 // Deep Technical Analysis

The vulnerability stems from a failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input before displaying it on the webpage. Specifically, the searchSongKeyword parameter in the SearchSong action of index.php is directly incorporated into the HTML output without any encoding or filtering. This allows an attacker to inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code, which is then executed by the victim's browser. The root cause is a lack of input validation and output encoding (e.g., HTML entity encoding) on the server-side. The application trusts the user input, leading to the execution of malicious scripts.

04 // Exploitation Status

Public PoC. The vulnerability is well-documented, and proof-of-concept (PoC) exploits are readily available online. While the specific Zainu 1.0 software may not be widely deployed, the vulnerability type (XSS) is common and the principles are easily adaptable to other vulnerable applications. It is likely that this vulnerability has been exploited in the past, though it is unlikely to be actively exploited today due to the age of the software.

05 // Threat Intelligence

While no specific APT groups are directly linked to exploiting this specific CVE, XSS vulnerabilities are a common attack vector used by various threat actors. This type of vulnerability is often used in conjunction with other attacks, such as phishing campaigns and drive-by downloads. CISA KEV: Not listed.

06 // Detection & Hunting

  • Web server logs: Look for unusual HTTP requests containing <script> tags or other HTML entities in the searchSongKeyword parameter.

  • Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS): Implement rules to detect XSS payloads in HTTP requests.

  • Web Application Firewalls (WAF): Configure a WAF to block XSS attacks by inspecting and filtering malicious input.

  • Network traffic analysis: Analyze network traffic for suspicious patterns, such as JavaScript execution from unexpected sources or cookie theft attempts.

07 // Remediation & Hardening

  • Input Validation: Implement strict input validation to ensure that the searchSongKeyword parameter only accepts expected data types and formats. Reject or sanitize any input that does not meet these criteria.

  • Output Encoding: Implement output encoding (e.g., HTML entity encoding) to escape special characters in the searchSongKeyword parameter before displaying it in the HTML output. This prevents the browser from interpreting the input as executable code.

  • Content Security Policy (CSP): Implement a CSP to restrict the sources from which the browser can load resources, mitigating the impact of XSS attacks.

  • Upgrade or Replace: If possible, upgrade to a more secure version of Zainu or replace the software with a modern, actively maintained alternative.

  • Regular Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities.

08 // Affected Products

Zainu 1.0

09 // Discovered Proof of Concept Links

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