CVE-2006-6517 in KDPics
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in KDPics 1.16 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) categories parameter to (a) index.php3 or (b) galeries.inc.php3.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/10/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-6517 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting KDPics version 1.16 and earlier systems. This security weakness resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input within the categories parameter, which is processed through two primary entry points: index.php3 and galeries.inc.php3. The vulnerability class falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting attacks, where malicious scripts are injected into web applications and executed in the context of other users' browsers. This particular flaw demonstrates how insufficient input validation and output encoding can create persistent security risks in web-based content management systems.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers manipulate the categories parameter to inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code directly into the application's response. When the vulnerable application processes this parameter without proper sanitization or encoding, the injected code becomes part of the web page served to legitimate users. This creates a scenario where any user visiting the affected pages could unknowingly execute the malicious payload, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires no privileged access and can be executed through standard web browser interactions, making it highly accessible to attackers.
The operational impact of CVE-2006-6517 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable more sophisticated attack chains within the context of web application exploitation. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for script injection techniques and T1531 for credential access through web application vulnerabilities. The flaw could allow attackers to establish persistent access to user sessions, steal authentication cookies, or redirect users to phishing sites that appear legitimate. Organizations using affected KDPics versions face significant risk of data compromise and potential system infiltration, as the vulnerability exists at the application layer where user input is processed and rendered. The long-term implications include potential reputational damage and regulatory compliance issues if user data is compromised through such attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security architecture improvements. The primary fix involves implementing proper input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in dynamic content generation. Organizations should deploy web application firewalls to filter malicious payloads and implement content security policies to prevent script execution. The recommended approach includes sanitizing the categories parameter through HTML entity encoding before rendering, implementing strict input validation to reject suspicious characters, and conducting regular security assessments of web applications. Additionally, developers should follow secure coding practices such as those outlined in OWASP Top Ten and ISO/IEC 27034 to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future application development cycles. Regular patch management and vulnerability scanning should be implemented to identify and remediate similar issues across the entire application portfolio.