CVE-2006-4665 in MKPortal
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in MKPortal M1.1 Rc1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the ind parameter, possibly related to the PHP_SELF variable. NOTE: Some details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/03/2018
The CVE-2006-4665 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the MKPortal content management system version M1.1 Rc1, specifically affecting the index.php script. This vulnerability exposes the application to remote code execution risks through malicious input manipulation, where attackers can inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the targeted system. The flaw manifests through the ind parameter, which serves as an entry point for malicious payloads that can be executed within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability's connection to the PHP_SELF variable indicates a fundamental issue in how the application handles server-side script references and user input processing, creating an avenue for attackers to exploit the system's trust in its own server variables.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the MKPortal framework. When the ind parameter is processed without proper sanitization, the application fails to escape or filter potentially malicious content that may contain script tags, event handlers, or other HTML constructs. The PHP_SELF variable, which contains the filename of the currently executing script, becomes a critical component in this attack vector because it is often used in URL generation and navigation within web applications. When attackers manipulate the ind parameter to include malicious payloads, these scripts execute in the context of legitimate users who visit affected pages, creating a persistent threat that can compromise user sessions and data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, or redirect victims to malicious websites. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or local network privileges to exploit it, making it particularly dangerous for web applications. Users who visit compromised pages may unknowingly execute malicious code that can capture keystrokes, access cookies, or modify page content. This creates a significant risk for organizations relying on MKPortal for content management, as the vulnerability can be exploited through simple web browser interactions without requiring specialized tools or extensive technical knowledge.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective immediate solution involves sanitizing all user-provided input, particularly parameters like ind, by removing or encoding potentially dangerous characters such as angle brackets, quotation marks, and script tags. The application should implement proper HTML escaping for all dynamic content rendered to users, ensuring that any user-controllable data is treated as text rather than executable code. Additionally, developers should consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the sources from which scripts can be loaded and establish a more robust defense-in-depth approach. Organizations should also maintain up-to-date security patches and conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar issues in their web applications. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a common pattern that appears across many legacy web systems, making it a critical concern for security professionals implementing the ATT&CK framework's web application exploitation techniques.