CVE-2006-5090 in Phoenix Evolution CMS
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Phoenix Evolution CMS (PECMS) allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) mod or (2) action parameters in index.php, or the (3) pageid parameter in modules/pageedit/index.php. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/23/2026
The CVE-2006-5090 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in Phoenix Evolution CMS, a content management system that was widely used in web applications during the mid-2000s era. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws identified by the CWE organization. The vulnerability specifically affects the parameter handling mechanisms within the CMS, creating pathways for malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code into the application's response. The affected parameters include mod and action parameters within the index.php file, as well as the pageid parameter in the modules/pageedit/index.php file, indicating multiple attack vectors that could be exploited by remote attackers without requiring authentication or special privileges.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through improper input validation and output encoding within the CMS framework. When the application processes the mod, action, or pageid parameters without adequate sanitization, it fails to properly escape or encode user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages. This allows attackers to inject malicious payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects core navigation and editing parameters, meaning that attackers could manipulate the CMS interface itself to deliver malicious content to unsuspecting users. The attack surface is further expanded by the fact that these parameters are likely used throughout the CMS's functionality, making the exploitation potential widespread across different CMS modules and features.
The operational impact of CVE-2006-5090 extends beyond simple script injection, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity and security of the CMS environment. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to administrative functions, manipulate content, or establish persistent backdoors within the application. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors could exploit this vulnerability from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the system or knowledge of internal network structures. This aligns with the ATT&CK framework's technique T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, where adversaries can execute malicious code through web-based attack vectors. The vulnerability also represents a significant risk to user trust and data integrity, as compromised users could be redirected to phishing sites or have their sessions hijacked, potentially leading to broader security breaches within organizations that rely on the CMS for their web presence.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate input validation and output encoding improvements within the CMS framework. Organizations should implement comprehensive parameter sanitization across all user-supplied inputs, particularly those used in URL parameters and form fields. The recommended approach includes implementing strict input validation that rejects or escapes potentially malicious characters, combined with proper output encoding when rendering user data in web pages. Security patches should be applied immediately if available, as this vulnerability was likely addressed in subsequent versions of Phoenix Evolution CMS. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious parameter patterns, and conduct regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications. The remediation process should also include security awareness training for administrators to recognize and respond to potential exploitation attempts, as well as establishing monitoring procedures to detect unusual parameter usage patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.