CVE-2006-1416 in Absolute FAQ Manager .NET
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in afmsearch.aspx in Absolute FAQ Manager .NET 4.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified search module parameters, possibly the question parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/07/2017
The CVE-2006-1416 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the Absolute FAQ Manager .NET version 4.0 and earlier, demonstrating a fundamental security weakness in web application input validation mechanisms. This vulnerability specifically targets the afmsearch.aspx component within the application's search functionality, where user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to users. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions within the application's security boundaries. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects a core search module that likely processes user queries without adequate sanitization measures.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of search module parameters, with particular emphasis on the question parameter as the primary attack vector. When users submit search queries through the vulnerable interface, the application fails to implement proper input validation or output encoding mechanisms that would prevent malicious payloads from being executed. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a weakness in web applications that allows attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The attack typically involves crafting malicious input that includes script tags or other executable code that gets stored or reflected in the application's response, thereby executing in the victim's browser context. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on the use of malicious scripts to compromise user sessions and execute unauthorized commands.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling attackers to perform a range of malicious activities including session theft, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the application. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to steal authentication cookies, modify user permissions, or redirect users to malicious sites that further exploit the compromised session. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions of the Absolute FAQ Manager .NET application indicates a systemic issue in the development process regarding input validation and output encoding practices. Organizations using this software would face significant risk exposure, particularly in environments where sensitive information is managed through the FAQ system, as the vulnerability could be exploited to gain unauthorized access to confidential data or manipulate the application's functionality.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding measures throughout the application's search functionality. The most effective approach involves implementing strict sanitization of all user-supplied input before it is processed or displayed, utilizing established libraries or frameworks that provide robust encoding capabilities for html, javascript, and other potentially dangerous content. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts and establish proper input validation at multiple layers of the application architecture. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of keeping software components up to date with security patches, as this specific issue would likely have been addressed in subsequent versions of the Absolute FAQ Manager .NET application. The remediation process should also include comprehensive testing of all search functionality to ensure that previously vulnerable parameters no longer accept malicious input without proper sanitization.