CVE-2006-3241 in XennoBB
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in messages.php in XennoBB 1.0.5 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the tid parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-3241 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the XennoBB 1.0.5 bulletin board system and earlier versions. This security weakness exists in the messages.php script which processes thread identifiers through the tid parameter, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before rendering it within web pages.
The technical implementation of this flaw demonstrates a classic reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability where the application directly incorporates user-provided input from the tid parameter into dynamically generated web content without adequate sanitization. When a victim clicks on a maliciously crafted link containing the vulnerable parameter, the injected script executes in their browser within the security context of the affected forum, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. This vulnerability operates under the common weakness enumeration CWE-79 which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web output, making it a fundamental web application security flaw that has plagued numerous platforms throughout the years.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it enables attackers to compromise user sessions and potentially gain unauthorized access to forum accounts. Attackers can leverage this flaw to steal cookies, modify user permissions, post malicious content, or redirect users to phishing sites that appear legitimate within the forum environment. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including XennoBB 1.0.5, indicating a widespread issue that likely impacted numerous forum installations during that time period. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in community-driven platforms where users trust the content and may not recognize malicious injections.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user inputs through proper HTML entity encoding before rendering them in web pages, specifically addressing the tid parameter in messages.php. Security measures should include implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, conducting thorough input validation to reject suspicious characters, and ensuring proper output encoding for all dynamic content. Organizations should also implement regular security audits and vulnerability assessments to identify similar weaknesses in their web applications. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on modifying system binaries or applications to persist in the victim environment, though the specific impact here is more focused on user session compromise and data theft rather than system-level persistence. The remediation process should include immediate patching of the affected software version and implementation of web application firewall rules to block malicious inputs targeting this specific parameter.