CVE-2006-2234 in TyroCMS
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in TyroCMS beta 1.0 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) a javascript URI in an img BBCode tag, or a JavaScript event in a (2) url BBCode tag or (3) color BBCode tag.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-2234 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness discovered in TyroCMS beta 1.0, a content management system that was widely used in web applications during the mid-2000s era. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the BBCode parsing functionality of the CMS, creating multiple attack vectors that could be exploited by remote threat actors to execute malicious scripts within the context of users' browsers. The flaw specifically targets three distinct BBCode tags - img, url, and color - each presenting unique pathways for attackers to inject malicious code that could persistently compromise user sessions and data integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic lack of proper output encoding and input sanitization practices within the CMS's BBCode processing engine. When the system processes an img BBCode tag containing a javascript URI, it fails to properly validate or escape the javascript protocol, allowing attackers to embed malicious script code that executes when users view the affected content. Similarly, the url BBCode tag vulnerability permits JavaScript events to be injected directly into the href attribute of links, while the color BBCode tag allows malicious JavaScript to be embedded within color specification parameters. These issues collectively align with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities resulting from insufficient input validation and output encoding. The vulnerability architecture reflects poor secure coding practices that were prevalent in web applications of that era, where developers often assumed that user input would be properly formatted and did not adequately consider the potential for malicious code injection through seemingly benign formatting tags.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with persistent access to user sessions and could enable session hijacking, data theft, and further exploitation within the compromised application environment. When users navigate to pages containing malicious BBCode content, their browsers execute the injected scripts, potentially leading to credential theft, redirection to malicious sites, or modification of application data. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this vulnerability without requiring local access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that host user-generated content. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which describes social engineering attacks through malicious content delivery, and T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter techniques, as the injected scripts could potentially be used to establish further footholds within the compromised environment.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the CMS's BBCode processing pipeline. The most effective remediation involves implementing strict sanitization of all user-provided content, particularly within BBCode tags, by removing or escaping potentially dangerous protocols and attributes. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities, employ proper HTML entity encoding for all dynamic content, and establish robust input validation routines that reject any content containing javascript protocols or malicious event handlers. Additionally, the CMS should be updated to a version that addresses these specific vulnerabilities, as the beta 1.0 release was inherently unstable and lacked proper security hardening. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application stack, while also implementing proper security training for developers to prevent similar issues in future development cycles. The vulnerability serves as a critical reminder of the importance of input validation and output encoding in web application security, particularly when handling user-generated content that may be processed through complex parsing mechanisms.