CVE-2006-3087 in EZGallery
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in EZGallery 1.5 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) pUserID, (2) aid, (3) aname, (4) uid, and (5) m parameter in (a) common/galleries.asp; (6) aid, (7) aname, (8) uid, (9) m, (10) gp, and (11) g parameter in (b) common/pupload.asp; and (12) msg, (13) fn and (14) gp parameter in (c) common/upload.asp.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/24/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-3087 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting EZGallery version 1.5 and earlier installations. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the web application's handling of user-supplied parameters across multiple script files. The vulnerability manifests in three distinct locations within the application's codebase, specifically in common/galleries.asp, common/pupload.asp, and common/upload.asp files, making it particularly dangerous as it affects core gallery management and file upload functionalities.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the injection of malicious scripts into parameters that are not properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages. Attackers can leverage the pUserID, aid, aname, uid, m, gp, g, msg, fn, and other parameters to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of other users' browsers. This occurs because the application fails to properly escape or validate user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content, creating a persistent XSS vector that can be exploited across different user sessions. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious sites. An attacker could potentially steal session cookies from authenticated users, execute unauthorized actions on their behalf, or deface the gallery website by injecting malicious content that persists across user interactions. The widespread nature of the vulnerability across multiple file handlers means that exploitation opportunities exist throughout the application's functionality, from basic gallery browsing to file upload operations, making it particularly attractive to threat actors seeking persistent access to the system.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied parameters using proper HTML encoding before rendering them in web pages, which directly addresses the root cause identified in CWE-79. Additionally, implementing a content security policy and employing proper parameter validation techniques can significantly reduce the attack surface. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components, while also ensuring that the application follows secure coding practices aligned with NIST guidelines for web application security. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of validating all inputs and properly escaping outputs in web applications, as recommended by the ATT&CK framework's web application attack patterns.