CVE-2006-1802 in TinyWebGallery
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in TinyWebGallery 1.3 and 1.4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the twg_album parameter.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-1802 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw affecting TinyWebGallery versions 1.3 and 1.4. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting attacks where malicious scripts are injected into otherwise trusted websites. The vulnerability manifests through the index.php script, which fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into web responses, creating an avenue for remote attackers to execute malicious code within the context of other users' browsers.
The technical exploitation occurs through the twg_album parameter, which serves as an entry point for attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML content. When a user navigates to a maliciously crafted URL containing the XSS payload within the twg_album parameter, the vulnerable application processes this input without adequate validation or sanitization. The vulnerability stems from the application's insufficient input filtering mechanisms, allowing attackers to bypass normal security controls that should prevent malicious code execution. This flaw enables attackers to inject JavaScript code or HTML elements that execute in the victim's browser when they access the affected page.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious websites. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to steal cookies, which may contain session information that allows them to impersonate legitimate users. The vulnerability affects all users of the affected TinyWebGallery versions, making it particularly dangerous as it can compromise any visitor who clicks on a malicious link containing the XSS payload. This type of vulnerability represents a significant threat to web application security and can result in unauthorized access to user accounts and sensitive information.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding techniques. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user-provided input through strict validation filters that reject or escape potentially malicious content before it is processed or displayed. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit the sources from which scripts can be loaded, providing an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks. Additionally, regular security updates and patches should be applied to ensure that known vulnerabilities are addressed promptly. The remediation process should include thorough code review to identify similar input handling issues within the application, as this vulnerability likely indicates broader security weaknesses in the application's data handling processes. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on establishing persistence through web shell deployment, as the XSS capability can be leveraged to deploy additional malicious payloads or maintain unauthorized access to compromised systems.