CVE-2006-2903 in Particle Links
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in admin.php in Particle Links 1.2.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the username parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/17/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-2903 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Particle Links 1.2.2 web application administration interface. This security weakness exists in the admin.php script where user input is not properly sanitized or validated before being processed and displayed back to users. The vulnerability specifically targets the username parameter, which serves as an entry point for malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code into the application's administrative interface. Such flaws typically arise when applications fail to implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate the application's behavior and potentially compromise user sessions or access restricted administrative functions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to sanitize user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. When the admin.php script processes the username parameter, it directly incorporates the input into the page output without appropriate HTML escaping or script context validation. This creates a condition where malicious input can be executed in the browser context of legitimate users who view the affected page. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a variant of stored XSS where the malicious payload can persist in the application's data storage and affect multiple users who encounter the compromised content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection as it provides attackers with potential access to the administrative interface of the Particle Links application. Remote attackers could leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious scripts in the context of authenticated admin sessions, potentially leading to complete compromise of the application's administrative capabilities. This could enable unauthorized modifications to the application's configuration, data manipulation, or even privilege escalation within the system. The vulnerability also poses risks to user sessions, as the injected scripts could capture cookies or session tokens, leading to session hijacking attacks. According to ATT&CK framework, this represents a technique categorized under T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1531 for Account Access Removal, highlighting the potential for persistent access and privilege abuse.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-2903 require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. Developers should implement strict validation of all user-supplied parameters, including the username field, to ensure that only expected character sets and lengths are accepted. The application must employ proper HTML escaping or encoding when displaying user-supplied content in web pages, preventing the execution of embedded scripts. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against script execution. The most effective remediation involves updating to a patched version of Particle Links 1.2.2 or applying the necessary code modifications to sanitize all input parameters before processing. Security practitioners should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security scanning to detect similar vulnerabilities in other application components. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of input validation and output encoding as fundamental security practices that align with OWASP Top Ten security controls and defense-in-depth strategies recommended for web application security.