CVE-2006-0242 in PHP Fusebox
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability in index.php in PHP Fusebox 4.0.6 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the fuseaction parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/04/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-0242 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the PHP Fusebox 4.0.6 web application framework. This security weakness resides in the index.php file and specifically targets the fuseaction parameter handling mechanism. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. Attackers can exploit this flaw by crafting malicious payloads within the fuseaction parameter that, when processed by the vulnerable application, get executed in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability classifies under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize or incorrectly sanitize user-provided input, making it a prime target for malicious actors seeking to compromise web application security.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a remote attacker submits a specially crafted request containing malicious script code within the fuseaction parameter of the index.php endpoint. The PHP Fusebox framework processes this parameter without adequate sanitization measures, allowing the injected code to be rendered as part of the web page response. This creates a persistent XSS vector where malicious scripts can execute in the victim's browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the application's data flow handling, where user input directly influences server-side processing without proper security controls. This weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1531 for credential access through session manipulation.
The operational impact of CVE-2006-0242 extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to manipulate the application's behavior and potentially gain unauthorized access to user sessions. A successful exploitation could allow attackers to steal cookies, modify application functionality, or redirect users to phishing sites. The vulnerability affects any user interacting with the vulnerable PHP Fusebox application, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where session management and data integrity are critical. Organizations running affected versions of PHP Fusebox face significant risk of data breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it requires no special privileges or authentication to exploit, making it accessible to any remote attacker with knowledge of the target application's structure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-0242 should focus on immediate input validation and output encoding measures. Organizations must implement proper parameter sanitization for all user-supplied inputs, particularly those used in dynamic content generation. The recommended approach includes implementing strict input validation using allow-lists for fuseaction parameter values, applying HTML escaping to all dynamic content before rendering, and ensuring proper context-aware encoding based on the output location. Additionally, upgrading to patched versions of PHP Fusebox or implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious payloads containing XSS patterns provides effective protection. Security teams should also establish comprehensive logging and monitoring of application parameters to detect potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include thorough code review of all input handling mechanisms and implementation of automated security testing to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future development cycles, aligning with industry best practices for secure coding standards and vulnerability management protocols.