CVE-2006-5985 in Extreme CMS
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in admin/options.php in Extreme CMS 0.9, and possibly earlier, allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) bg1, (2) bg2, (3) text, or (4) size parameters. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; details are obtained from third party sources.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/28/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-5985 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness in Extreme CMS version 0.9 and potentially earlier releases. This flaw exists within the administrative options page file named admin/options.php, making it particularly dangerous as it targets the content management system's administrative interface. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code through specific parameters, creating a significant security risk for systems utilizing this CMS version.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through four distinct parameter injection points: bg1, bg2, text, and size. These parameters are likely used to configure various visual elements of the CMS interface, including background settings, text properties, and sizing parameters. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that, when processed by the vulnerable application, execute unintended code within the context of other users' browsers. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications, making it a well-documented and serious security concern.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with potential access to administrative functions and user data. When an administrator or authenticated user visits the compromised page, the malicious scripts execute in their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, data exfiltration, or further privilege escalation. The vulnerability's location in the administrative interface means that successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise, as attackers would gain access to sensitive configuration options and potentially other administrative functions within the CMS.
Security practitioners should note that this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and output encoding in web applications. The flaw represents a classic example of insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data, where parameters are directly incorporated into HTML output without proper security measures. Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies including immediate patching of affected systems, input validation at multiple layers, and regular security assessments. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a web application attack vector, specifically under the technique of code injection, where attackers leverage application vulnerabilities to execute malicious code in the context of other users' sessions.
The vulnerability's classification as a third-party reported issue suggests that it may have been discovered through external security research or vulnerability databases rather than being disclosed directly by the software vendor. This highlights the importance of maintaining awareness of third-party security advisories and implementing robust security monitoring processes. The lack of detailed provenance information indicates that this vulnerability may have been part of the broader security landscape of that era, where many CMS platforms suffered from similar input validation weaknesses. Modern security practices would recommend implementing Content Security Policy headers, implementing proper input sanitization routines, and conducting regular penetration testing to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in contemporary web applications.