CVE-2006-2581 in RWiki
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Wiki content in RWiki 2.1.0pre1 through 2.1.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unknown attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/27/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-2581 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the RWiki 2.1.0pre1 through 2.1.0 software suite, specifically affecting the Wiki content rendering functionality. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of injection attacks and is classified as CWE-79 in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this wiki platform for collaborative content management.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the RWiki application's content processing pipeline. When users create or edit wiki pages, the system fails to properly sanitize user-provided content before rendering it in web browsers. This allows attackers to embed malicious scripts or HTML elements within wiki content that will execute whenever other users view the affected pages. The attack vectors remain unspecified in the CVE description, which suggests that the vulnerability may manifest through multiple entry points within the wiki's content handling system, potentially including page titles, content fields, or even user comments and metadata.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform various malicious activities within the affected environment. Attackers could potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, deface wiki pages, or even escalate privileges within the wiki system if proper access controls are not in place. The vulnerability's presence in a collaborative platform like RWiki means that any user with editing privileges could potentially introduce malicious content, making the attack surface significantly larger than in single-user applications. This particular version range of RWiki suggests the vulnerability existed in a pre-release version, indicating that the developers may have been aware of the issue but had not yet implemented proper security measures.
Organizations utilizing RWiki 2.1.0pre1 through 2.1.0 should immediately implement mitigation strategies to protect their systems from exploitation. The primary remediation approach involves implementing proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms that ensure all user-provided content is properly escaped before being rendered in web browsers. This aligns with the ATT&CK framework's mitigation strategies for web application vulnerabilities, particularly focusing on preventing injection attacks through proper data validation. Additionally, implementing content security policies and strict access controls can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider upgrading to patched versions of RWiki if available, as this vulnerability represents a known security flaw that has likely been addressed in subsequent releases. The vulnerability's classification as a persistent security issue in a collaborative environment underscores the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability management practices to prevent similar issues from affecting other components of the organization's web infrastructure.