CVE-2004-1969

Vulnerability

The avatar upload capability in Open Bulletin Board (OpenBB) 1.0.6 and earlier allows remote attackers to upload files containing arbitrary scripting code, such as JavaScript, which can then be executed in the context of the web application. The vulnerability resides in the avatar upload functionality, which does not properly sanitize or restrict the type of files that can be uploaded [1].

Exploitation

An attacker can upload a file containing JavaScript code as an avatar. No authentication is required if the upload is available to unauthenticated users; otherwise, a registered user can perform the attack. The attacker uploads a malicious file (e.g., a .php or .js file) through the avatar upload form, and when the avatar is displayed on the site, the embedded script executes in the browsers of other users viewing the page [1].

Impact

Successful exploitation allows an attacker to execute arbitrary script in the context of a user's browser, leading to cross-site scripting (XSS). This can be used to steal session cookies, deface pages, or perform other malicious actions on behalf of the victim [1].

Mitigation

The reference [1] does not provide specific fix details. Users should upgrade to a version later than 1.0.6 if a patched version is available. As a workaround, disable avatar uploads or restrict allowed file types to image formats only (e.g., .gif, .jpg, .png) and validate MIME types server-side. If no official patch is available, consider using a web application firewall to block malicious uploads.