CVE-2006-5069 in Typo3
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in class.tx_indexedsearch.php in the Indexed Search 2.9.0 extension for Typo3 before 4.0.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the search parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/23/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-5069 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Indexed Search extension of Typo3 content management system. This issue affects versions 2.9.0 and earlier of the extension, with the vulnerability being resolved in Typo3 versions 4.0.2 and later. The flaw exists in the class.tx_indexedsearch.php file which processes search queries submitted by users through the web interface. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of victims.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the search parameter handling mechanism. When users submit search queries through the Indexed Search functionality, the application fails to properly escape or filter special characters in the search parameter before rendering it back to the user interface. This creates an opening for attackers to inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code that gets executed when other users view the search results page. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the search parameter contains unescaped content that gets directly embedded into HTML output without proper encoding or sanitization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can be exploited to compromise user sessions and perform unauthorized actions within the Typo3 environment. Attackers can craft malicious search terms containing JavaScript payloads that, when executed in a victim's browser, could steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or modify content displayed on the website. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in content management systems where administrators and regular users may have varying levels of access and privileges, as it can potentially be used to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions. The vulnerability also impacts the integrity and availability of the website's content, as attackers could modify search results or inject malicious content that affects all users.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to Typo3 version 4.0.2 or later where the fix has been incorporated. The fix typically involves proper input sanitization and output encoding of search parameters to prevent malicious code from being executed. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious search queries containing potential XSS payloads. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual search patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which covers social engineering through malicious content injection. The remediation process should also include comprehensive security testing of all input handling mechanisms within the application to identify similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other components of the system.