CVE-2006-6348 in mowdBB
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in board.php in mowdBB RC-6 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the forum_name[] parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-6348 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the mowdBB RC-6 bulletin board system, specifically targeting the board.php script. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category known as "Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')", which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security weaknesses. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the forum_name[] parameter, which serves as an entry point for attackers to inject malicious payloads. When a user submits data containing script tags or other malicious code through this parameter, the application processes the input without adequate validation or sanitization mechanisms. This processing occurs within the board.php script where the forum_name[] parameter is handled, allowing the injected code to be stored and subsequently executed when other users view the affected pages. The vulnerability specifically affects the mowdBB RC-6 version, indicating this was likely a known issue that persisted through the release cycle, highlighting poor input validation practices within the application's codebase.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it enables attackers to perform session hijacking, redirect users to malicious sites, or even execute more sophisticated attacks through the compromised user contexts. Users who view pages containing the injected scripts become victims of the attack, with their browsers executing the malicious code as if it originated from the legitimate application. This creates a persistent threat vector that can affect all users of the bulletin board system, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges or access sensitive user data. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for "Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment" and T1566.002 for "Phishing: Spearphishing Link", as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to deliver malicious payloads through seemingly legitimate forum interactions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The application must validate all user-supplied input through whitelisting approaches, ensuring that only expected character patterns are accepted for the forum_name[] parameter. Additionally, implementing proper HTML escaping or encoding when displaying user-generated content prevents script execution even if malicious input somehow bypasses validation. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to a patched version of mowdBB or migrating to a more secure bulletin board system that follows modern security practices. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns, and conduct regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding as fundamental security controls that should be implemented at every layer of web application development, as outlined in OWASP Top 10 and the ISO/IEC 27001 security framework requirements for secure application development practices.