CVE-2008-6200 in Swiki
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Swiki 1.5 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the query string and (2) a new wiki entry.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-6200 represents a critical security flaw in Swiki 1.5, a wiki software platform that was widely used for collaborative documentation and knowledge management. This vulnerability manifests as multiple cross-site scripting flaws that enable remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of users' browsers, potentially compromising the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected systems. The vulnerability specifically affects how the software handles user input in two distinct scenarios, creating multiple attack vectors that significantly expand the potential impact of exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Swiki 1.5 application. When users submit search queries through the query string parameter or create new wiki entries, the software fails to properly sanitize or encode user-supplied data before rendering it back to the browser. This allows attackers to inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code that executes in the context of other users' sessions. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and represents a classic example of how insufficient data validation can lead to severe security consequences. The attack occurs when the application processes user input without proper sanitization, creating opportunities for malicious actors to manipulate the application's behavior and potentially escalate privileges or steal sensitive information.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-6200 extends beyond simple data corruption or display manipulation. Remote attackers can leverage these vulnerabilities to perform session hijacking, steal cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, or even execute arbitrary commands on affected systems. The implications are particularly severe in collaborative environments where multiple users interact with the same wiki platform, as a single compromised entry can affect all users who view that content. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which describes social engineering attacks through malicious content, and T1059, which covers execution through scripting. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that wiki platforms often contain sensitive organizational information, making them attractive targets for information gathering and privilege escalation attempts.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should ensure that all user-supplied data is sanitized before processing and that appropriate HTML escaping is implemented when rendering content back to users. The recommended approach involves implementing a whitelist-based validation system that only permits known safe characters and sequences while rejecting potentially malicious input. Additionally, deploying Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications, while keeping the Swiki platform updated to versions that address these specific XSS vulnerabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing defense-in-depth strategies and proper input sanitization as fundamental security controls to prevent exploitation of similar flaws in web applications.