CVE-2006-1401 in Calendar Express
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in search.php in Calendar Express 2.2 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) allwords or (2) oneword parameter. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-1401 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in Calendar Express version 2.2, specifically within the search.php component. This vulnerability manifests through two distinct attack vectors that enable remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of affected users' browsers. The flaw occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize user input passed through the allwords and oneword parameters, creating an environment where malicious code can be injected and subsequently executed without proper validation or encoding mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices within the Calendar Express application. When users submit search queries through the allwords or oneword parameters, the application processes these inputs directly without sufficient sanitization measures. This weakness allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that include javascript code or html tags, which are then executed when other users view the search results. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the web interface components that handle user search functionality, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect any user interacting with the calendar application's search capabilities.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations utilizing Calendar Express 2.2 as it enables attackers to potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, or execute arbitrary commands on behalf of authenticated users. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to include potential account takeovers, privilege escalation, and the ability to manipulate calendar data. Given that calendar applications often contain sensitive personal and business information, the consequences of successful exploitation could include unauthorized access to confidential schedules, meeting details, and potentially personal information. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or any insider knowledge to exploit this flaw, making it particularly concerning for organizations with web-accessible calendar applications.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a classic example of insufficient input validation and output encoding. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for initial access through web application attacks and T1071 for application layer protocols. The attack vector typically involves crafting malicious search queries containing script tags or other malicious content, which when processed by the vulnerable application, are executed in the browsers of other users. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation, output encoding, and proper parameter sanitization to address this vulnerability. Additionally, regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in web applications, particularly those handling user-generated content or search functionality.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability requires immediate implementation of proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms within the Calendar Express application. Security patches or code modifications should ensure that all user-supplied input is properly validated and escaped before being processed or displayed in search results. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls, content security policies, and regular security testing to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of their web infrastructure. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of secure coding practices and the need for continuous security monitoring in web applications that handle user input.