CVE-2006-1971 in ContentBoxX
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in login.php in KRANKIKOM ContentBoxX allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the action parameter.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-1971 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the KRANKIKOM ContentBoxX web application's login.php script. This issue manifests when the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user input received through the action parameter, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code into the application's response. The vulnerability exists at the input validation layer where the system does not adequately filter or escape special characters that could be interpreted as executable code by web browsers, thereby compromising the application's security posture and user data integrity.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it squarely within the category of CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly escape or encode user-controllable data before including it in web page output. The flaw operates by allowing an attacker to craft a malicious URL containing script code within the action parameter, which when processed by the vulnerable login.php script gets rendered in the web page without proper sanitization. This creates a persistent XSS vector that can be exploited across multiple user sessions, as the malicious payload gets executed in the context of other users' browsers who access the affected application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that compromise user sessions, steal sensitive authentication credentials, and potentially escalate to full system compromise. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform session hijacking, redirect users to malicious sites, or even execute commands on behalf of authenticated users. The attack surface is particularly concerning because login pages typically handle sensitive user information and are often targeted by threat actors seeking to gain unauthorized access to systems. This vulnerability directly violates the principles of secure web application development and can result in significant data breaches, user privacy violations, and potential regulatory compliance issues.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-1971 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The most effective remediation involves sanitizing all user-controllable input parameters, particularly those used in dynamic web page generation, through proper HTML entity encoding and input validation routines. Organizations should implement a comprehensive defense-in-depth approach that includes regular security code reviews, automated vulnerability scanning, and adherence to secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST Secure Coding Guidelines. Additionally, deploying web application firewalls and implementing content security policies can provide additional protective layers against exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the necessity of conducting thorough security assessments to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in web application architectures that could be exploited through various attack vectors including those mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK framework's web application exploitation categories.