CVE-2006-3157 in UltimateGoogle
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in Thinkfactory UltimateGoogle 1.00 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the REQ parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/29/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-3157 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Thinkfactory UltimateGoogle component version 1.00 and earlier. This security weakness resides in the index.php file and specifically targets the REQ parameter handling mechanism. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of users' browsers who interact with the vulnerable application. Such vulnerabilities fall under the category of CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security that allows injection of malicious content into web pages viewed by other users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the UltimateGoogle component. When the application processes the REQ parameter without proper sanitization or encoding, it directly incorporates user-supplied data into the web page response without adequate protection measures. This creates an environment where attackers can craft malicious payloads that exploit the lack of proper input filtering mechanisms. The vulnerability operates at the application layer where user input is not properly escaped or validated before being rendered in the browser context, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that process untrusted data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform various malicious activities within the victim's browser session. Attackers could potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, deface web pages, or even execute more sophisticated attacks such as credential harvesting or privilege escalation within the application's context. The remote nature of this vulnerability means that attackers do not require physical access to the target system or network, making it particularly attractive for widespread exploitation. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 - Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, as it enables attackers to craft malicious web content that users may inadvertently execute.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-3157 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input parameters, particularly those used in dynamic content generation, and ensuring proper HTML entity encoding of output data before rendering in web pages. Organizations should implement proper parameter validation, utilize secure coding practices that follow the principle of least privilege, and deploy web application firewalls to detect and prevent malicious input patterns. Additionally, updating to the latest version of the UltimateGoogle component would address this specific vulnerability, as version 1.01 and later releases include proper input sanitization mechanisms. Security teams should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the sources from which scripts can be executed and conduct regular security assessments to identify similar injection vulnerabilities in other components of the web application stack.