CVE-2006-4543 in HLStats
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in HLStats 1.34 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) game parameter in players mode, the (2) weapon parameter in weaponinfo mode, the (3) st parameter in search mode, the (4) action parameter in actioninfo mode, and the (5) map parameter in mapinfo mode.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2025
This cross-site scripting vulnerability in HLStats 1.34 represents a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of affected web applications. The vulnerability specifically targets multiple parameters across different operational modes of the HLStats application, creating multiple attack vectors that can be exploited to compromise user sessions and inject malicious content. The affected parameters include the game parameter in players mode, weapon parameter in weaponinfo mode, st parameter in search mode, action parameter in actioninfo mode, and map parameter in mapinfo mode, each representing distinct entry points for XSS attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices within the HLStats application. When users interact with the application through these specific parameters, the system fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages. This allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code, HTML tags, or other harmful content that gets executed in the browsers of unsuspecting users who visit affected pages. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically affects the web interface components that process these parameters, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through various navigation paths within the application's functionality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, deface web pages, steal sensitive user information, or redirect users to malicious websites. When exploited, the XSS vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate the application's behavior and potentially gain unauthorized access to user data or system resources. The multi-vector nature of this vulnerability increases its attack surface, as it can be triggered through different modes of the application, making comprehensive protection more challenging. Users who visit pages containing malicious payloads may unknowingly execute harmful code, leading to potential data breaches, unauthorized actions, or complete compromise of their browser sessions.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input data before processing and ensuring proper HTML encoding when rendering dynamic content. Implementing content security policies and using frameworks that automatically escape output can significantly reduce the risk of XSS exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security testing to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and follows patterns commonly associated with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter. The remediation efforts should include comprehensive code review processes, input validation libraries, and regular security assessments to prevent similar issues in future development cycles.