CVE-2006-4711 in Sage
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Sage allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via an Atom 1.0 feed, as demonstrated by certain test cases of the James M. Snell Atom 1.0 feed reader test suite.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/23/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-4711 represents a significant security weakness in the Sage content management system that exposes users to cross-site scripting attacks through Atom 1.0 feed processing. This flaw resides in the way Sage handles Atom 1.0 feed data, specifically when processing feed entries that contain malicious script content. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it leverages the widely used Atom syndication format, which is commonly employed for distributing web content and blog updates across various platforms and applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within Sage's feed processing mechanisms. When the system receives an Atom 1.0 feed containing malicious content, it fails to properly escape or filter special characters that could be interpreted as executable script code by web browsers. This processing gap allows attackers to inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code through feed entries, which then gets executed in the context of users who view the affected feeds. The vulnerability specifically affects the feed reader functionality within Sage, where users might unknowingly encounter malicious content while browsing Atom feeds from various sources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited across multiple user sessions and applications. Attackers can craft malicious Atom feeds that contain embedded scripts designed to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The demonstration using James M. Snell's Atom 1.0 feed reader test suite indicates that this vulnerability affects standard feed processing behavior, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through legitimate feed consumption activities. This creates a scenario where users are exposed to attacks simply by accessing content from compromised or malicious sources.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices and inadequate output encoding that are fundamental requirements for preventing XSS attacks. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving code injection and web application exploitation, potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks such as credential theft or privilege escalation. Organizations using Sage systems should implement immediate mitigations including feed validation, content filtering, and proper HTML escaping mechanisms. The recommended approach involves updating to patched versions of Sage, implementing feed sanitization layers, and establishing monitoring for suspicious feed content to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.