CVE-2006-4988 in Wili-CMS
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Patrick Michaelis Wili-CMS allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the query string to relocate.php, (2) the globals[pageid] parameter in example-view/inc/print_button.php, and other unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/04/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-4988 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness in the Wili-CMS content management system developed by Patrick Michaelis. This class of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, making it a fundamental web application security concern that allows malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of victim users. The vulnerability affects multiple components within the CMS, demonstrating a systemic security flaw that extends beyond a single entry point. The presence of XSS vulnerabilities in web applications creates a significant attack surface that can be exploited to compromise user sessions, steal sensitive data, or manipulate application functionality.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through multiple attack vectors that exploit improper input validation and output sanitization within the CMS framework. The primary attack vectors include the query string parameter in relocate.php and the globals[pageid] parameter within example-view/inc/print_button.php, though additional unspecified vectors exist that compound the overall risk. These vulnerabilities occur when user-supplied input is directly incorporated into web page output without proper sanitization or encoding mechanisms. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the browser context of legitimate users who visit compromised pages, creating a persistent threat that can affect all users interacting with the vulnerable CMS installation.
The operational impact of CVE-2006-4988 extends beyond simple script injection to potentially enable complete session hijacking, data theft, and malicious redirection attacks. Attackers can leverage these vulnerabilities to steal cookies, session tokens, and other sensitive information from authenticated users who access compromised pages. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it affects core CMS functionality including page navigation and content display mechanisms, meaning that even routine browsing activities could expose users to malicious script execution. This vulnerability represents a significant risk to website integrity and user security, potentially allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to administrative functions or manipulate content displayed to users.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-4988 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-supplied data entry points. The recommended approach involves applying proper HTML entity encoding to all dynamic content before rendering, implementing strict input validation to reject malicious payloads, and utilizing secure coding practices that prevent direct injection of user data into web responses. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies to limit script execution and deploy web application firewalls to detect and block malicious requests. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers spearphishing with malicious attachments and links, as attackers can exploit these XSS flaws to deliver malicious payloads through compromised CMS pages. The remediation process requires thorough code review of all CMS components and implementation of proper sanitization routines to prevent future exploitation attempts.