CVE-2006-6986 in PhaseOut
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-domain vulnerability in PhaseOut 5.4.4 allows remote attackers to access restricted information from other domains via an object tag with a data parameter that references a link on the attacker s originating site that specifies a Location HTTP header that references the target site, which then makes that content available through the outerHTML attribute of the object, a similar vulnerability to CVE-2006-3280.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2018
This vulnerability exists in PhaseOut version 5.4.4 and represents a cross-domain information disclosure flaw that enables remote attackers to access restricted content from other domains. The vulnerability exploits the improper handling of cross-domain requests through the object tag mechanism, specifically when a data parameter references a link on the attacker's originating site. The attack leverages a Location HTTP header that points to the target site, creating a scenario where content from the target domain becomes accessible through the outerHTML attribute of the object element. This represents a classic cross-site scripting or cross-domain data leakage vulnerability where domain isolation boundaries are improperly enforced.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of HTTP headers and DOM attributes to bypass security restrictions. When an attacker crafts an object tag with a data parameter pointing to their malicious site, and that site responds with a Location header directing to the target domain, the browser's handling of this response creates an opportunity for information disclosure. The outerHTML attribute becomes a vector through which content from the restricted domain can be accessed by the attacker's page, effectively circumventing the same-origin policy that normally prevents such cross-domain access. This technique is particularly dangerous because it exploits the trust relationships between browser components and web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows attackers to extract sensitive information from other domains without proper authorization. This could include confidential data, internal network resources, or application-specific information that should remain isolated within its own domain context. The vulnerability's similarity to CVE-2006-3280 indicates it follows established patterns of cross-domain information leakage, suggesting that the attack methodology has been previously documented and understood within the security community. The exploitation requires minimal privileges and can be executed through standard web browser functionality, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that handle sensitive data.
From a security standards perspective, this vulnerability maps to CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-201 (Information Exposure Through Browser Cache) while demonstrating characteristics of the MITRE ATT&CK technique T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) and T1566 (Phishing). The vulnerability represents a failure in proper cross-domain policy enforcement and demonstrates how HTTP header manipulation can be used to bypass security controls. Organizations should implement strict cross-domain access controls, disable unnecessary object tag functionality, and ensure proper HTTP header validation. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive input validation, proper domain isolation mechanisms, and regular security auditing of web application components that handle cross-domain requests.
The vulnerability's exploitation pattern aligns with established attack methodologies documented in security literature and represents a fundamental flaw in how browsers handle cross-domain resource access. This issue highlights the importance of proper security boundaries and demonstrates how seemingly innocuous browser features can be weaponized to create information disclosure vulnerabilities. The similarity to CVE-2006-3280 suggests that this class of vulnerability has been recognized and studied, indicating that defensive measures should follow established best practices for cross-domain security. Organizations should prioritize patching affected systems and implementing robust security controls to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive domain resources through similar attack vectors.