CVE-2006-6380 in Ultimate HelpDesk
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.asp in Ultimate HelpDesk allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the keyword parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-6380 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Ultimate HelpDesk application's index.asp component. This security weakness resides in how the web application processes user input through the keyword parameter, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to execute unauthorized scripts in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly sanitize user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic web content.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability occurs when the index.asp page fails to adequately validate or escape user-provided input from the keyword parameter before rendering it back to the browser. When an attacker submits malicious script code through this parameter, the web application processes the input without proper sanitization mechanisms, allowing the injected payload to be executed in the victim's browser session. This type of vulnerability enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of web pages, or redirection to malicious sites. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires no special privileges or authentication to exploit, making it accessible to any remote attacker who can submit data to the vulnerable application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity of user sessions and the security model of the helpdesk application. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, potentially gaining unauthorized access to user accounts with elevated privileges. The vulnerability also enables more sophisticated attacks such as credential harvesting through the injection of keylogging scripts or the redirection of users to phishing sites that appear legitimate. From an enterprise security perspective, this vulnerability undermines the trust model of the web application and could lead to data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive information, and potential compliance violations in regulated environments. The vulnerability is classified under the ATT&CK framework as T1531 - Establish & Maintain Persistence and T1071.1 - Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols, highlighting its role in web-based attack chains and session manipulation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The recommended approach involves applying proper HTML entity encoding to all user-supplied input before rendering it in web pages, ensuring that potentially malicious characters are neutralized. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded and executed. The application should also employ strict input validation to reject or sanitize any input containing suspicious patterns or characters commonly associated with XSS attacks. Regular security testing including automated scanning and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application. Organizations should also consider implementing Web Application Firewalls (WAF) rules specifically designed to detect and block XSS attack patterns, while ensuring that all application components follow secure coding practices and are regularly updated to address known security vulnerabilities.