CVE-2006-0310 in aoblogger
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in aoblogger 2.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary Javascript via a javascript URI in the BBcode url tag.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2025
The CVE-2006-0310 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in aoblogger version 2.3, a web-based blogging platform that was widely used in the early 2000s. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of BBcode URL tags, specifically when processing javascript URIs, creating a dangerous attack vector that could compromise user sessions and enable malicious code execution. The flaw demonstrates a classic input validation failure where the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages, allowing attackers to inject malicious javascript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the BBcode parsing functionality, which is commonly used for creating hyperlinks within blog posts and comments.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious BBcode URL tag containing a javascript URI that gets processed and rendered without proper sanitization. When another user visits a page containing this malicious BBcode, their browser executes the embedded javascript code, potentially stealing session cookies, redirecting to malicious sites, or performing unauthorized actions on behalf of the victim. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in software applications. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it operates through a commonly used BBcode feature, making it particularly dangerous as it can be easily concealed within normal-looking blog content or comments, enabling social engineering attacks that are difficult to detect.
The operational impact of CVE-2006-0310 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable more sophisticated attacks such as session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration from authenticated users. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal user authentication tokens, manipulate blog content, or redirect victims to phishing sites that appear legitimate. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill, making it attractive to both skilled attackers and script kiddies, and the widespread adoption of aoblogger at the time of discovery meant that many users were potentially exposed to this threat. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 (Phishing) and T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript) techniques, as it enables both the delivery of malicious javascript payloads and the execution of those payloads within victim browsers.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. The most effective approach involves implementing strict validation of URL schemes in BBcode tags, rejecting any javascript URIs and only allowing safe protocols such as http and https. Additionally, developers should implement proper HTML escaping and context-aware output encoding to prevent malicious code from executing even if it somehow bypasses input validation. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security updates and the need for web application developers to implement comprehensive input validation and sanitization routines. Security patches should include proper validation of all user-supplied content, particularly in features that process URL parameters, and implement a whitelist approach for allowed URL schemes rather than attempting to blacklist dangerous protocols. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to provide additional defense-in-depth against XSS attacks, though this measure alone would not prevent exploitation of the specific vulnerability described in CVE-2006-0310.