CVE-2006-1040 in vBulletin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in vBulletin 3.0.12 and 3.5.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the email field, which is injected in profile.php but not sanitized in sendmsg.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-1040 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw that existed in vBulletin versions 3.0.12 and 3.5.3, demonstrating how insufficient input validation can create persistent security risks in web applications. This vulnerability specifically targets the email field within the vBulletin platform, where user-provided data is processed through profile.php and subsequently injected into sendmsg.php without proper sanitization. The flaw operates at the application layer and constitutes a type of injection attack that enables malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79 as Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security that affects how user input is handled and rendered within web pages.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker submits malicious code through the email field during user registration or profile modification processes. When this data is later displayed in the sendmsg.php page, the unfiltered input is executed as JavaScript within the victim's browser context, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability's persistence stems from the fact that the email field data flows through multiple application components without adequate sanitization, creating a chain of trust violations where user input is treated as executable code. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Phishing and T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it enables attackers to deliver malicious payloads through email-based interactions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and privilege escalation within the vBulletin community platform. Attackers can leverage this weakness to compromise user accounts, manipulate forum content, and potentially gain access to sensitive user information stored within the application. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of user data, as the lack of input sanitization creates a persistent threat vector that remains active until the underlying code is patched. Organizations using affected vBulletin versions face significant risk of data breaches and unauthorized access, particularly in environments where user-generated content is prevalent and trust is placed in the application's security controls.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-1040 should focus on immediate patching of affected vBulletin versions to address the root cause of the vulnerability. Organizations must implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms that sanitize all user-provided data before it is processed or displayed within web pages. The recommended approach includes implementing proper HTML entity encoding for all dynamic content, establishing strict input validation rules for email fields, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. Additionally, security teams should conduct regular vulnerability assessments and maintain updated security patches for all web applications. The remediation process must also include monitoring user activity for signs of exploitation attempts and implementing proper access controls to limit the potential damage from successful attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to add an additional layer of protection against script injection attacks, ensuring that even if exploitation occurs, the damage is contained within predefined security boundaries.