CVE-2006-6532 in Vt-Forum Lite
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Vt-Forum Lite 1.3 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) StrMsg or (2) Topic_ID parameter to (a) vf_info.asp, (b) vf_newtopic.asp, (c) vf_settings.asp, and (d) vf_replytopic.asp, different vectors than CVE-2006-6447. NOTE: The provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-6532 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness affecting Vt-Forum Lite version 1.3 and earlier implementations. This security flaw resides within the forum software's handling of user input parameters, specifically targeting four distinct web pages that process user-submitted data. The vulnerability manifests through two primary parameter injection points: StrMsg and Topic_ID, which are processed by vf_info.asp, vf_newtopic.asp, vf_settings.asp, and vf_replytopic.asp. These endpoints represent core forum functionality where users can create new topics, reply to existing discussions, view forum information, and manage settings, making them prime targets for malicious exploitation. The attack vector allows remote threat actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code directly into the forum's user interface, potentially compromising the integrity of the entire platform.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through improper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the affected forum software. When users submit data through the vulnerable parameters, the application fails to adequately sanitize or escape the input before rendering it back to other users. This creates a persistent XSS condition where malicious scripts execute in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of victims. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on Establishing Persistence through Web Shell deployment. The impact is particularly severe because forum platforms typically contain sensitive user information, discussion threads, and potentially administrative data that could be accessed through successful exploitation.
The operational implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple script injection, as it creates a persistent threat vector that can compromise user trust and platform integrity. Attackers can leverage these XSS vulnerabilities to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject content that appears to originate from legitimate forum administrators. The affected pages represent critical forum functions where users expect secure and reliable interactions, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for community platforms where user engagement is high. Organizations running these older forum versions face significant risk of data breaches, reputational damage, and potential regulatory compliance violations. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple endpoints increases the attack surface and makes comprehensive protection challenging, as each vulnerable page represents a separate exploitation opportunity for threat actors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding measures across all affected forum pages. Organizations should implement strict parameter validation that rejects or sanitizes potentially malicious input before processing user submissions. The recommended approach includes implementing proper HTML escaping for all dynamic content rendered to users, ensuring that any user-provided data is treated as untrusted and properly encoded before display. Security patches or upgrades to newer versions of Vt-Forum Lite should be prioritized to address this vulnerability, as the affected version represents an outdated platform with known security weaknesses. Additionally, network-level protections such as web application firewalls and content security policies can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. Regular security assessments and input validation reviews should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other forum components or similar applications, as this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices in web application development. The vulnerability also underscores the necessity of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing comprehensive security monitoring to detect and respond to exploitation attempts in real-time.