CVE-2006-1479 in gtd-php
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Serge Rey gtd-php (aka Getting Things Done) 0.5 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the Description field in (1) newProject.php, (2) newList.php, and (3) newWaitingOn.php; the Title field in (4) newProject.php, (5) newList.php, (6) newWaitingOn.php, (7) newChecklist.php, (8) newContext.php, and (9) newGoal.php; the (10) Category Name field in newCategory.php; the (11) listTitle field in listReport.php; the (12) projectName field in projectReport.php; and the (13) checklistTitle field in checklistReport.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/29/2022
The CVE-2006-1479 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness in Serge Rey gtd-php version 0.5, a web-based task management application designed to implement the Getting Things Done methodology. This vulnerability affects multiple input points within the application's user interface, creating a significant attack surface that allows remote threat actors to inject malicious scripts into the system. The flaw resides in the application's insufficient validation and sanitization of user-supplied data, particularly in fields that handle project descriptions, titles, and category names across various administrative and reporting pages. The vulnerability impacts the core functionality of the application by compromising the integrity of user inputs, potentially enabling attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts in the context of authenticated users' browsers.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize user inputs before rendering them in web pages. Specifically, the gtd-php application processes user-entered data without implementing adequate input validation or output encoding mechanisms, allowing attackers to inject malicious HTML and JavaScript code through various form fields. The vulnerability affects thirteen distinct input points across multiple PHP scripts including newProject.php, newList.php, newWaitingOn.php, newChecklist.php, newContext.php, newGoal.php, newCategory.php, listReport.php, and projectReport.php. These fields include Description, Title, Category Name, listTitle, projectName, and checklistTitle, all of which are susceptible to XSS attacks due to the lack of proper sanitization routines.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates severe security implications for organizations using the gtd-php application, as it allows 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, as successful exploitation could lead to complete compromise of user accounts and potentially allow attackers to escalate privileges within the application. The vulnerability's widespread nature across multiple application modules means that any user with access to these forms could become a vector for attack, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users interact with the system. This weakness directly violates security principles outlined in the OWASP Top Ten, specifically addressing the XSS category, and aligns with CWE-79 which defines Cross-site Scripting vulnerabilities as a fundamental web application security flaw.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding across all user-facing application interfaces. Organizations should immediately implement proper HTML entity encoding for all user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages, ensuring that any potentially malicious script content is treated as plain text rather than executable code. Input validation should be strengthened through the implementation of allowlists for acceptable characters and content formats, while the application should be updated to use parameterized queries and proper sanitization routines for all data processing operations. Additionally, the implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks, preventing the execution of unauthorized scripts even if the vulnerability is exploited. This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of secure coding practices and demonstrates how seemingly simple input handling flaws can create significant security risks in web applications. The attack surface described in this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering attacks that often leverage XSS vulnerabilities to compromise user sessions and execute malicious code within the context of legitimate web applications.