CVE-2006-0880 in Noahs Classifieds
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in index.php in Noah s Classifieds 1.3 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) inf parameter; or, when register_globals is enabled, the (2) upperTemplate and (3) lowerTemplate parameters.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-0880 affects Noah s Classifieds version 1.3 and represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw that compromises web application security. This vulnerability exists within the index.php script and demonstrates a classic input validation failure that allows malicious actors to execute arbitrary code in the context of victim browsers. The flaw specifically targets parameter handling mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamic web content, creating an environment where attackers can inject malicious scripts that persist and execute when other users view the affected pages.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits three distinct parameter injection points within the application's request processing pipeline. The primary attack vector involves the inf parameter which appears to be processed without adequate input sanitization, allowing attackers to inject malicious payloads directly into the application's response. When the server environment has register_globals enabled, additional attack surfaces become available through the upperTemplate and lowerTemplate parameters, which are likely processed as template variables that can be manipulated to inject script code. This configuration weakness amplifies the impact as it eliminates the need for more sophisticated exploitation techniques and broadens the attack surface significantly.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, deface websites, steal user credentials, or redirect victims to malicious sites. The persistence of these XSS vulnerabilities means that once exploited, the malicious scripts will execute for all users who view the affected content, potentially compromising thousands of users over time. The vulnerability's severity is further compounded by the fact that it can be exploited without requiring authentication or special privileges, making it particularly dangerous for public-facing classifieds platforms where user-generated content is common. This type of vulnerability directly violates security principles outlined in the CWE-79 category for cross-site scripting, which specifically addresses the improper handling of untrusted input in web applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective immediate solution involves sanitizing all user-supplied parameters through proper input validation that removes or encodes potentially dangerous characters before processing. The application should implement strict parameter validation that rejects or sanitizes any input containing script tags, javascript protocols, or other malicious constructs. Additionally, developers should disable register_globals in server configurations to eliminate the additional attack vectors that arise from this dangerous PHP configuration setting. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers and proper HTML encoding of dynamic content can provide additional defense layers. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns and maintain regular security audits to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of their web infrastructure. This vulnerability exemplifies the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and demonstrates how seemingly minor input handling flaws can create significant security risks.