CVE-2006-0172 in Enterprise Collaboration
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the file manager utility in Hummingbird Collaboration (aka Hummingbird Enterprise Collaboration) 5.21 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML in an uploaded page, which is published without a check for hostile scripting.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/02/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-0172 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the file manager utility of Hummingbird Collaboration version 5.21 and earlier. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79 which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web output, making it a fundamental web application security weakness. The flaw exists in the web application's handling of file uploads and subsequent page publishing processes, where user-supplied content is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered in web pages.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers through the file management interface. When users upload files through the vulnerable system, the application fails to validate or sanitize the content, particularly any embedded scripts or HTML code within the uploaded files or their associated metadata. This lack of input validation creates a persistent XSS vector where attackers can inject malicious payloads that will execute whenever other users view the published content. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the application layer where user-generated content is processed and made available to other users, creating a potential chain reaction of malicious script execution across multiple users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, manipulate web content, or redirect users to malicious websites. Attackers can craft malicious files that contain embedded scripts, which when published through the file manager, will execute in the browsers of other users who view the content. This creates a persistent threat vector that can affect multiple users within the collaboration environment, potentially compromising the entire user base that relies on the file management system for document sharing and collaboration. The vulnerability essentially undermines the trust model of the collaboration platform by allowing untrusted content to execute arbitrary code in users' browsers.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output sanitization mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective approach involves implementing strict content validation for all uploaded files, particularly those that may contain HTML or script content, and ensuring that all user-generated content is properly escaped or sanitized before being rendered in web pages. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and privilege separation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. Additionally, regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application. The remediation process should include updating to the latest version of Hummingbird Collaboration where this vulnerability has been addressed, and implementing web application firewall rules to detect and block suspicious script content. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers phishing with malicious attachments, as attackers could exploit this vulnerability to deliver malicious content through file uploads that appear legitimate to users within the collaboration environment.