CVE-2006-1264 in discussion
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in xhawk.net discussion 2.0 beta2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a Javascript URI in a BBCode img tag.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-1264 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the xhawk.net discussion forum software version 2.0 beta2. This security weakness arises from insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-submitted content, specifically affecting the BBCode image tag implementation. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly filter or escape javascript URIs embedded within BBCode img attributes, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious BBCode img tag containing a javascript URI in its source attribute. When other users view the affected forum post, their browsers attempt to load the malicious script, executing it within the security context of the vulnerable application. This particular implementation flaw falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities, where the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages. The vulnerability manifests as a stored XSS attack since the malicious content is persisted in the forum's database and executed whenever affected pages are accessed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of forum content, and redirection to phishing sites. Users who browse the affected forum may unknowingly execute malicious scripts that can steal their authentication cookies, allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate users and gain unauthorized access to private forum features. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which involves the use of malicious scripts to gain access to user sessions and data. Additionally, the attack vector demonstrates characteristics of T1211 which involves the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities to execute arbitrary code.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of proper input validation and sanitization of all user-submitted content, particularly within BBCode and HTML attributes. The forum software should enforce strict filtering of javascript protocols in image source attributes and implement Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution. Organizations should also consider implementing proper output encoding when rendering user-generated content and regularly audit their web applications for similar input validation flaws. The vulnerability highlights the importance of comprehensive security testing including dynamic analysis and input validation reviews to prevent such persistent cross-site scripting issues in web applications.