CVE-2006-6256 in AlternC
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the file manager in admin/bro_main.php in AlternC 0.9.5 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a folder name.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-6256 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the AlternC web hosting control panel version 0.9.5 and earlier. This issue resides in the file manager component specifically within the admin/bro_main.php script, where user-provided folder names are not properly sanitized before being rendered in the web interface. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized actions within the control panel environment. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79, which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker creates or renames a folder within the AlternC file manager using malicious script code within the folder name parameter. When other users navigate to the file manager interface, the unsanitized folder name gets rendered in the browser, executing the injected JavaScript code. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where administrators and regular users share the same control panel, as it can be leveraged to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to sensitive system resources. The attack vector requires no special privileges to initiate, making it a significant security risk for any organization using affected versions of AlternC.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities within the compromised environment. An attacker could potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, modify file contents, or even gain access to administrative functions if they can manipulate the control panel's behavior. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the web hosting environment, potentially allowing unauthorized access to user data, website files, and system configurations. This flaw represents a critical weakness in the input validation mechanisms of the AlternC platform, as it fails to properly encode or sanitize user-supplied data before presentation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of the AlternC platform to version 0.9.6 or later, where the XSS vulnerability has been addressed through proper input sanitization and output encoding. Organizations should also implement proper input validation at multiple layers, ensuring that all user-supplied data is validated and sanitized before being processed or displayed. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to the principle of least privilege in web application development. The remediation process should also include user education regarding the dangers of creating folder names with potentially malicious content, as well as implementing proper access controls to limit the damage that can be caused by such vulnerabilities. Organizations using older versions of AlternC should consider migrating to more modern control panel solutions that have better security practices and more frequent updates to address known vulnerabilities.