CVE-2006-2106 in Trac
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Edgewall Software Trac 0.9.4 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unknown attack vectors related to a "wiki macro."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-2106 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Edgewall Software Trac version 0.9.4 and earlier systems. This issue specifically targets the wiki macro functionality of the Trac project management and bug tracking platform, creating a pathway for remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it within the web interface. The attack vectors remain unspecified in the original description, suggesting that the flaw may manifest through multiple entry points within the wiki macro processing system. This weakness enables attackers to craft malicious wiki macros that, when viewed by other users, execute unauthorized scripts in their browser sessions, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of victims.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. This classification indicates that the flaw exists in the input handling and output rendering processes where user-provided data is not adequately escaped or validated before being incorporated into web pages. The Trac platform's wiki macro system likely processes user-generated content without proper sanitization, allowing attackers to inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code that gets executed when other users view the affected wiki pages. The impact is particularly severe because wiki macros are designed to be highly functional and customizable, often allowing complex content generation, which increases the attack surface and potential execution vectors for malicious payloads. The vulnerability essentially undermines the trust model of the application by enabling an attacker to compromise the integrity of user sessions and potentially gain elevated privileges within the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it represents a fundamental security weakness in a widely used project management tool. Organizations relying on Trac for collaborative development and issue tracking face significant risks when this vulnerability exists in their systems, particularly in environments where multiple users interact with shared wiki spaces. The remote nature of the attack means that malicious actors can exploit this flaw from anywhere on the internet without requiring local access to the system. Successful exploitation could lead to complete session compromise, unauthorized access to project data, modification of wiki content, and potential privilege escalation within the application. Additionally, the vulnerability may enable attackers to harvest sensitive information from user sessions, including authentication tokens and private project details, making it a particularly dangerous weakness in collaborative environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-2106 should focus on immediate remediation through software updates to versions that address the XSS vulnerability in the wiki macro processing system. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms that sanitize all user-supplied data before rendering it within the web interface. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to prevent unauthorized script execution even if other controls fail. Regular security audits of wiki macro functionality and user-generated content should be conducted to identify and remediate potential vulnerabilities. System administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns targeting the wiki macro system. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices and input sanitization in collaborative web applications, emphasizing the need for regular security training for developers working with user-facing features. Organizations should establish incident response procedures specifically addressing XSS vulnerabilities in their collaborative platforms to ensure rapid response to potential exploitation attempts.