CVE-2006-4563 in MyHeadlines
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the MyHeadlines before 4.3.2 module for PHP-Nuke allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the myh_op parameter to modules.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/03/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-4563 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the MyHeadlines module for PHP-Nuke platforms. This security weakness affects versions prior to 4.3.2 and stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data. The specific parameter exploited is myh_op within the modules.php script, which serves as the primary entry point for handling module operations within the PHP-Nuke framework. This vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting as the improper handling of untrusted data within web applications.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers craft malicious payloads containing HTML or JavaScript code and inject them through the vulnerable myh_op parameter. When the affected PHP-Nuke application processes this parameter without adequate sanitization, the injected code becomes part of the dynamic web page content. This allows attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in input validation and output encoding practices that are fundamental to preventing XSS attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement. Attackers can leverage this flaw to establish persistent malicious presence within the targeted web application environment. By injecting malicious scripts, threat actors can monitor user interactions, capture sensitive information, or even escalate privileges within the application. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no privileged access to the system and can be executed through standard web browser interactions. This makes the vulnerability particularly attractive to automated attack tools and increases the potential for widespread exploitation across multiple vulnerable installations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-4563 should prioritize immediate patching of the MyHeadlines module to version 4.3.2 or later, which contains the necessary input validation fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization measures that filter and escape all user-supplied data before processing or rendering within web applications. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts. Security practitioners should also consider deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious parameter values targeting known XSS attack patterns. This vulnerability exemplifies the importance of following secure coding practices and maintaining up-to-date security patches as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's methodology for web application exploitation techniques.