CVE-2006-2833 in Drupal
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the taxonomy module in Drupal 4.6.8 and 4.7.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via inputs that are not properly validated when the page title is output, possibly involving the $names variable.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-2833 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Drupal's taxonomy module, affecting versions 4.6.8 and 4.7.2. This issue stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in web page outputs. The vulnerability specifically manifests when page titles containing unsanitized input are displayed, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected websites.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves attackers crafting malicious input that gets stored in the system and subsequently rendered without proper sanitization. The $names variable mentioned in the description serves as the primary vector for this attack, where user-provided data flows through the taxonomy module's processing pipeline and ultimately gets embedded into HTML output without adequate validation or encoding. This flaw aligns with CWE-79, which defines cross-site scripting as the insertion of malicious code into web applications, and demonstrates how improper input handling can create persistent security weaknesses in content management systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it allows attackers to potentially steal user sessions, deface websites, redirect visitors to malicious domains, or harvest sensitive information from authenticated users. When exploited, the XSS vulnerability enables attackers to manipulate the behavior of web applications from within the victim's browser context, potentially leading to complete compromise of user accounts and unauthorized access to sensitive data. The vulnerability's presence in the taxonomy module means that any website utilizing Drupal's categorization and tagging features becomes susceptible to this attack vector, particularly affecting sites with user-generated content or collaborative editing environments.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of Drupal, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious script injections. The remediation process should involve comprehensive code review of the taxonomy module to ensure all user inputs are properly sanitized before being rendered in HTML contexts. Additionally, implementing content security policies and regular security audits of web applications can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in the future. This vulnerability exemplifies the importance of input validation and output encoding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security framework and demonstrates how seemingly minor implementation flaws can create significant security risks in widely-used web applications.