CVE-2006-1846 in PHP-Nuke
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Your_Account module in PHP-Nuke 7.8 might allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary HTML and web script via the ublock parameter, which is saved in the user s personal menu. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information. In addition, it is unclear whether this issue is a vulnerability, since it is related to the user s personal menu, which presumably is not modifiable by others.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-1846 represents a cross-site scripting weakness within the Your_Account module of PHP-Nuke version 7.8. This security flaw specifically manifests through the ublock parameter which gets stored in users' personal menus, creating a potential vector for malicious code injection. The issue resides in the improper sanitization of user input within the module's handling of personal menu configurations, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary HTML and web scripts in the context of other users' browsers. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which categorizes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically addressing the failure to sanitize user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it enables attackers to manipulate user sessions and potentially escalate privileges within the PHP-Nuke environment. When users view their personal menus, the malicious code embedded in the ublock parameter executes in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability's scope is particularly concerning because personal menus are typically considered user-specific and trusted elements within the application's interface, making the attack vector more insidious. According to ATT&CK framework category T1059, this vulnerability enables adversaries to execute arbitrary code within the context of the victim's browser, leveraging the trust relationship that exists between the application and its users.
While the original description notes uncertainty regarding the vulnerability's severity due to the personal menu context, this assessment may be overly conservative. The ublock parameter's persistence in user menus creates a lasting threat that can affect multiple users over time, especially in environments where users frequently access shared or public systems. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices that violate security best practices outlined in OWASP Top Ten, particularly in the area of injection flaws. The fact that this issue was reported in a widely-used content management system like PHP-Nuke amplifies its potential impact, as it could affect numerous websites and organizations that relied on this platform. Organizations should consider implementing proper parameter validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent such vulnerabilities from being exploited, as the stored XSS nature of this flaw means that the malicious payload remains active until manually removed from the user's personal menu configuration.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires attackers to craft malicious ublock parameter values that contain HTML or JavaScript code, which then gets stored and subsequently executed when other users view their personal menus. This form of attack is classified as a persistent XSS vulnerability, distinguishing it from reflected XSS where the malicious code must be delivered through a separate request. The attack surface is expanded by the fact that users with access to the personal menu configuration can inadvertently or deliberately introduce malicious code, making user education and proper input sanitization essential defensive measures. Security practitioners should implement Content Security Policy headers and regular input validation routines to prevent such vulnerabilities from being exploited, as the underlying issue stems from inadequate security controls in the user input handling process within the PHP-Nuke framework's Your_Account module.