CVE-2006-4794 in e107
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in e107 0.7.5 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the query string (PATH_INFO) in (1) contact.php, (2) download.php, (3) admin.php, (4) fpw.php, (5) news.php, (6) search.php, (7) signup.php, (8) submitnews.php, and (9) user.php. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained from third party information.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/17/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-4794 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting the e107 content management system version 0.7.5. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input through the query string parameter, specifically utilizing PATH_INFO for web server configuration. The flaw manifests across multiple core application files including contact.php, download.php, admin.php, fpw.php, news.php, search.php, signup.php, submitnews.php, and user.php, indicating a systemic issue in the input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the platform's user interaction points. The vulnerability's classification as a CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation (Cross Site Scripting) underscores the fundamental weakness in how the application processes and renders user-provided data without adequate sanitization measures.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers craft malicious URLs containing script code within the query string parameters that are then processed by the affected e107 scripts. When these scripts render the user input without proper HTML escaping or encoding, the injected malicious code executes within the context of other users' browsers who visit the affected pages. This creates a persistent threat where attackers can execute arbitrary scripts, potentially stealing session cookies, defacing websites, or redirecting users to malicious sites. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable more sophisticated attacks such as session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. The vulnerability's presence across multiple administrative and user-facing scripts suggests that attackers could target various aspects of the platform's functionality, from user registration and authentication processes to content management and search capabilities.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of systems running vulnerable e107 installations. The attack surface is broad due to the inclusion of administrative scripts like admin.php, which could potentially allow attackers to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to backend systems. The fact that the vulnerability affects both frontend user interaction pages and backend administrative components creates a multi-layered threat vector that can compromise entire web applications. Organizations using vulnerable versions face potential data breaches, reputational damage, and compliance violations, particularly in environments where user data protection is paramount. The attack vector's simplicity and the broad scope of affected files make this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it requires minimal expertise to exploit and can cause widespread damage across multiple application modules.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching and updates to the e107 platform to the latest secure versions that address the input validation flaws. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization measures including proper HTML escaping, character encoding, and output filtering for all user-supplied data. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth against script execution, while regular security audits and penetration testing can help identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications. Network-based security controls such as web application firewalls should be configured to detect and block suspicious query string patterns that attempt to inject malicious scripts. Additionally, user education and awareness programs should emphasize the importance of avoiding suspicious links and maintaining current security practices, as the vulnerability's exploitation relies heavily on social engineering aspects where users may inadvertently trigger the malicious code through crafted URLs. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1566.001: Phishing, highlighting the potential for attackers to leverage this flaw in targeted campaigns that could result in broader compromise beyond the immediate web application scope.