CVE-2006-1405 in ssCMS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in search.aspx in SweetSuite.NET Content Management System (ssCMS) 2.1.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the keywords parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-1405 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the SweetSuite.NET Content Management System version 2.1.0 and earlier releases. This weakness resides in the search.aspx page component which fails to properly sanitize user input parameters, specifically the keywords parameter that processes search queries submitted by users. The flaw enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code directly into the application's response, creating a persistent security risk that can compromise user sessions and data integrity.
This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where applications fail to properly validate or escape user-controllable data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. The attack vector exploits the lack of input validation in the ssCMS search functionality, allowing remote attackers to craft malicious payloads that execute within the context of other users' browsers when they view search results. The keywords parameter serves as the primary injection point where unfiltered user input bypasses any sanitization mechanisms, enabling attackers to embed script tags or malicious JavaScript code that gets executed by victim browsers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. When users perform searches containing malicious payloads, the injected scripts execute in their browser context, potentially allowing attackers to access sensitive information, manipulate application functionality, or redirect users to malicious sites. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require any local system access or privileged accounts, making it particularly dangerous for web applications serving multiple users. This vulnerability essentially transforms legitimate search functionality into a vector for malicious code delivery, undermining the trust model of the content management system.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user input parameters, particularly those used in dynamic content generation, by removing or escaping potentially dangerous characters such as angle brackets, script tags, and other HTML/JavaScript constructs. Organizations should implement proper HTML encoding for all output generated from user-supplied data, ensuring that any potentially malicious content is rendered harmless when displayed to end users. Additionally, the ssCMS should be updated to version 2.1.1 or later where this vulnerability has been patched, as the developers have addressed the input validation weakness in subsequent releases. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual search patterns that might indicate attempted exploitation, and regular security assessments should verify that all input parameters are properly validated to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other application components.