CVE-2006-0779 in XMB
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in u2u.php in XMB Forums 1.9.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the username parameter, as demonstrated using a URL-encoded iframe tag.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/19/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-0779 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw that was prevalent in web applications during the mid-2000s era. This issue specifically affects XMB Forums version 1.9.3 and earlier, where the u2u.php script fails to properly sanitize user input, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability manifests when the username parameter is not adequately validated or escaped before being rendered in the web page output, allowing attackers to inject malicious HTML content that gets executed by unsuspecting victims.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages the fundamental weakness in input validation mechanisms within the forum software. When a user submits a username parameter containing malicious script code, particularly URL-encoded iframe tags, the application processes this input without proper sanitization. This creates a persistent XSS vector where the injected code executes in the victim's browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no special privileges to exploit, making it particularly dangerous in community forums where users frequently interact with content generated by others.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to both end users and forum administrators. Users who visit pages containing maliciously injected content may have their browser sessions compromised, leading to unauthorized access to their accounts and potential data exfiltration. The impact extends beyond individual user compromise to include potential reputational damage for the forum platform and the possibility of attackers using the compromised systems as launching points for further attacks. The vulnerability's persistence in the application's core functionality means that any user interaction with the affected script could trigger the malicious code execution, making it difficult to contain the attack surface.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK framework techniques including T1531 for use of untrusted inputs and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter. From a CWE perspective, this represents a classic CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is categorized as a weakness in web application security. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices and inadequate output encoding that are common in legacy web applications. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation, output encoding, and Content Security Policy mechanisms to prevent such attacks. The recommended mitigations include implementing strict parameter validation, using proper HTML escaping for all user-generated content, and applying regular security updates to address known vulnerabilities in web applications. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and conducting regular security assessments can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts targeting such XSS vulnerabilities.