CVE-2006-3916 in snews
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in snews.php in sNews (aka Solucija News) 1.4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the search_query parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-3916 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the sNews content management system version 1.4, specifically affecting the snews.php script. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79, which defines improper neutralization of input during web page generation as a fundamental weakness in web application security. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input received through the search_query parameter, creating an opening for malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts within the context of other users' browsers. The sNews application, also known as Solucija News, is a lightweight content management system that processes user queries without adequate input validation or output encoding mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing script code and submits it through the search_query parameter of the snews.php endpoint. When the vulnerable application processes this input and displays it in the web page without proper sanitization, the embedded script executes in the victim's browser context. This allows attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, defacement of web pages, redirection to malicious sites, or data theft from authenticated users. The vulnerability specifically affects the search functionality of the CMS, making it particularly dangerous as search queries are often displayed prominently on web pages and may be indexed by search engines, amplifying the potential impact.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it fundamentally undermines user trust and application integrity. Attackers can leverage this flaw to steal session cookies, potentially gaining administrative access to the CMS, or to deface the entire website with malicious content. The vulnerability affects all users of sNews 1.4, regardless of their authentication status, making it a critical security concern for any organization relying on this platform. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1531 - Run-time Process Injection and T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it enables attackers to execute malicious code within the target environment through web-based attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-3916 require immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding measures. Organizations should implement strict validation of all user-supplied input, particularly for search parameters, by employing allow-list validation or comprehensive sanitization routines. The application must properly encode output data before rendering it in web pages, using appropriate HTML entity encoding or context-specific escaping mechanisms. Security patches should be applied immediately to upgrade to newer versions of sNews that address this vulnerability, as version 1.4 is considered obsolete and no longer receives security updates. Additionally, implementing a web application firewall with XSS detection capabilities and regular security audits can help prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in the future. The remediation process should include thorough testing of input validation routines to ensure that all potentially dangerous characters and script patterns are properly filtered or escaped before processing.