CVE-2006-1121 in CuteNews
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in CuteNews 1.4.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the query string to index.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2025
The CVE-2006-1121 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw in CuteNews version 1.4.1 that fundamentally compromises web application security through improper input validation. This vulnerability exists within the index.php file where user-supplied query string parameters are not adequately sanitized before being rendered in web responses, creating an exploitable vector for malicious code injection.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly escape or filter user input received through HTTP query parameters. When CuteNews processes these parameters without sufficient sanitization measures, it inadvertently executes malicious scripts within the context of legitimate user sessions. This occurs because the web application directly incorporates user-provided data into dynamically generated HTML content without appropriate encoding or validation mechanisms.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious websites. An attacker could craft a malicious URL containing JavaScript code that would execute in the browser of any user who visits the compromised page, potentially leading to unauthorized access to user accounts, data exfiltration, or defacement of the news portal. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks such as phishing campaigns or malware distribution.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 related to spearphishing through social media. Organizations using CuteNews 1.4.1 face significant risk of exploitation as this vulnerability requires no authentication and can be exploited through simple web browser interactions. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that CuteNews was a widely used content management system in the mid-2000s, making this vulnerability a prime target for automated exploitation tools.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of the CuteNews application to version 1.4.2 or later, which contains the necessary input validation fixes. Additionally, implementing proper input sanitization measures such as HTML entity encoding, using secure coding practices, and deploying web application firewalls can provide layered defense. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies to limit script execution and monitor for suspicious user activity patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other web applications within the organization's infrastructure.