CVE-2006-3000 in OkArticles
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in search.php in OkScripts OkArticles 1.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the q parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/29/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-3000 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the OkScripts OkArticles 1.0 content management system. This issue specifically affects the search.php script where user input is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered back to web browsers. The q parameter serves as the primary attack vector, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content that executes in the context of other users' browsers. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws according to the CWE database. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's search functionality.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing script code and submits it through the q parameter of the search.php endpoint. When the application processes this input and displays the search results without proper sanitization, the injected code executes in the victim's browser session. This creates a persistent threat where any user who views the search results page becomes vulnerable to the malicious script execution. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the user interaction level, making it difficult to detect and prevent through traditional network security measures. The attack can be executed remotely without requiring any special privileges or authentication, making it accessible to anyone who can access the vulnerable web application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information, manipulate user data, or redirect users to malicious websites. An attacker could exploit this flaw to capture user credentials, modify content, or establish persistent access to the compromised application. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of user data, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information stored within the OkArticles system. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566 (Phishing) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) techniques, as it enables attackers to deliver malicious payloads and execute arbitrary code in user browsers. The impact is particularly severe in environments where the application handles sensitive user data or serves as a platform for content sharing.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-3000 should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The application should sanitize all user-supplied input through whitelist validation or proper HTML escaping before rendering any content. The most effective remediation involves implementing context-specific output encoding for the q parameter, ensuring that any potentially dangerous characters are properly escaped. Security headers such as Content Security Policy should be implemented to restrict script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. Additionally, the application should employ parameterized queries or prepared statements to prevent injection attacks, though this specific vulnerability is primarily concerned with output handling rather than database injection. Regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should also implement proper web application firewalls and monitoring systems to detect and prevent exploitation attempts, while maintaining up-to-date security patches for the OkArticles application to address this and related vulnerabilities.