CVE-2006-6548 in WebHost Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in cPanel WebHost Manager (WHM) 3.1.0 allow remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the domain parameter to (1) scripts2/changeemail, (2) scripts2/limitbw, or (3) scripts/rearrangeacct. NOTE: the feature parameter to scripts2/dofeaturemanager is already covered by CVE-2006-6198.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/01/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-6548 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within cPanel WebHost Manager version 3.1.0 that exposes remote authenticated users to potential code injection attacks. This weakness specifically targets three distinct script endpoints within the WHM interface, creating multiple attack vectors for malicious actors who have gained legitimate access to the system. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization of user-supplied data, particularly when processing the domain parameter in these specific scripts. The affected endpoints include scripts2/changeemail, scripts2/limitbw, and scripts/rearrangeacct, all of which fail to properly escape or filter user input before incorporating it into web responses. This flaw operates under the CWE-79 category, which classifies cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as weaknesses in web applications that allow attackers to inject malicious client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The presence of these vulnerabilities in the WHM interface is particularly concerning because WHM serves as the administrative control panel for hosting environments, making authenticated access to these scripts a significant security risk.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML content within the context of authenticated sessions. When an attacker successfully exploits these XSS flaws, they can potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, deface web pages, or perform actions on behalf of legitimate users with the same privileges. The authentication requirement for exploitation means that attackers must first gain access to valid user credentials, but once authenticated, they can leverage these vulnerabilities to escalate their privileges or compromise the entire hosting environment. The vulnerability affects the core administrative functions of the web hosting platform, potentially allowing attackers to modify bandwidth limits, change email configurations, or rearrange account structures, which could lead to service disruption, data compromise, or unauthorized resource consumption. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers social engineering tactics involving the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access or execute malicious code.
The security implications of CVE-2006-6548 are compounded by the fact that WHM serves as a central administrative interface for hosting providers, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise multiple accounts or services. The vulnerability's presence in scripts that manage critical hosting functions means that exploitation could result in widespread damage to the hosting infrastructure. The specific parameter targeted in these scripts demonstrates a pattern of insufficient input validation that is commonly exploited in web application security breaches. Organizations using cPanel version 3.1.0 should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader attack surface that includes other related vulnerabilities such as CVE-2006-6198, which addresses similar XSS issues in the feature parameter of scripts2/dofeaturemanager. The exploitation of these vulnerabilities can be facilitated through various attack vectors including phishing campaigns, where attackers might use legitimate access to inject malicious payloads, or through session hijacking techniques that leverage the XSS capabilities to steal authentication tokens. Mitigation efforts should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation, output encoding, and proper sanitization of user-supplied data within the affected scripts to prevent malicious code injection. The vulnerability underscores the importance of regular security updates and patch management practices, as cPanel has since released versions that address these specific XSS weaknesses, demonstrating the ongoing evolution of security measures required to protect web hosting environments from such persistent threats.