CVE-2006-2815 in SimpleBoard
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Two Shoes M-Factory (TSMF) SimpleBoard 1.1.0 Stable (aka com_simpleboard), as used in Mambo and Joomla!, allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the Name field in "post ne topic" in the Frontend, (2) the Title (aka Community-Title) field in Simpleboard Configuration in the Backend Admin Panel, and the (3) Name (aka Forum-Title) and (4) Name (aka Category-Title) fields in Simpleboard Administration in the Backend Admin Panel. NOTE: some sources have stated that the sb_authorname parameter is affected, but it is unclear which field is related to it.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2018
The vulnerability CVE-2006-2815 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the Two Shoes M-Factory SimpleBoard component version 1.1.0 Stable, which was widely deployed in content management systems including Mambo and Joomla!. This vulnerability resides in the input validation mechanisms of the SimpleBoard component, which is designed to facilitate forum functionality within these web applications. The flaw specifically affects multiple input fields across both frontend and backend administrative interfaces, creating a comprehensive attack surface that could allow malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of affected user browsers. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data theft as it provides attackers with the capability to manipulate user sessions, redirect visitors to malicious sites, or even compromise entire user accounts through session hijacking techniques.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through four distinct input vectors that collectively demonstrate a systemic lack of proper input sanitization throughout the application's codebase. The first vector targets the Name field during topic creation in the frontend interface, while the second and third vectors affect backend administrative fields including the Community-Title configuration parameter and various forum and category title fields. The fourth vector specifically targets category title fields within the backend administration panel. These multiple attack points indicate that the developers failed to implement consistent input validation across all user-facing data entry points, creating a cascading security failure that could be leveraged by attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions or to inject malicious content that would be executed by other users. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and represents a classic example of how improper input validation can lead to severe security implications. The ambiguity surrounding the sb_authorname parameter further suggests that the vulnerability may have been partially masked or that the vulnerability analysis was incomplete, potentially indicating additional attack vectors that were not fully documented.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to compromise entire user sessions and manipulate the forum's content delivery mechanisms. When users browse affected pages containing malicious scripts, their browsers execute the injected code, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to phishing sites. The backend administrative access points create particularly concerning implications, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to modify forum configurations, delete content, or even add new administrator accounts. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001, which covers credential harvesting through phishing, as the malicious scripts could capture user credentials or session tokens. The widespread deployment of SimpleBoard in Mambo and Joomla! installations meant that this vulnerability affected numerous websites, potentially exposing thousands of users to these security risks. Organizations running these vulnerable applications faced the risk of complete compromise, as the XSS flaws could be chained with other attacks to escalate privileges and gain persistent access to affected systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-2815 required immediate attention through multiple defensive measures that addressed both the immediate vulnerability and the underlying architectural issues. The primary remediation approach involved implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding across all user input fields, ensuring that all data entering the application was properly sanitized before processing or storage. Organizations needed to upgrade to patched versions of the SimpleBoard component, as the vulnerability existed in the specific version 1.1.0 Stable and was not present in subsequent releases. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers provided an additional layer of protection against script injection attacks, while regular security audits of third-party components helped identify similar vulnerabilities in other deployed software. The vulnerability highlighted the critical importance of input validation in web applications and demonstrated how a single flaw in a widely-used component could expose entire web platforms to significant security risks. Security monitoring and incident response procedures needed to be enhanced to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts, while user education regarding suspicious website content became essential in preventing successful attacks. The vulnerability also underscored the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security patches for all components within web applications, as the lack of timely updates created exploitable conditions that could be leveraged by attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive systems.