CVE-2006-3680 in photocycle
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in photocycle in Photocycle 1.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the phpage parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/31/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-3680 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Photocycle 1.0 web application. This security weakness resides in the photocycle component and specifically affects the phpage parameter handling mechanism. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting as a code injection attack where malicious scripts are injected into otherwise benign and trusted websites. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected users' browsers, making it a significant concern for web application security.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the Photocycle application's parameter processing logic. When the phpage parameter is submitted to the photocycle component, the application fails to properly sanitize or encode user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamic web page content. This insufficient sanitization creates an opening for attackers to inject malicious scripts that will execute in the victim's browser when the affected page is rendered. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no special privileges to exploit, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by attackers without authentication.
The operational impact of this XSS vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can lead to various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of web pages, and redirection to malicious sites. Attackers can exploit this flaw to steal user session cookies, potentially gaining unauthorized access to user accounts within the Photocycle application. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of user data, as well as the overall availability of the web application. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 - Phishing with Malicious Attachments and T1566.002 - Phishing with Malicious Links, as it enables attackers to craft malicious web content that can be delivered to unsuspecting users. The vulnerability also relates to T1071.001 - Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols, as it exploits HTTP-based communication channels.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the Photocycle application. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through strict validation rules and encoding output before rendering it within web pages. Implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script injection attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. The application should also employ proper parameter validation to ensure that the phpage parameter only accepts expected values or properly encoded input. Organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security code reviews to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding practices as outlined in OWASP Top 10 2021 category A03: Injection and the principles of secure coding that prevent XSS vulnerabilities through proper data sanitization and context-appropriate encoding.