# CVE-2006-5442: Cross-site scripting in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary JavaScript via UTF-7 encoded XSS in ViewVC due to missing charset headers, requiring user interaction.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.8 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 21 Oct 2006
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p7mp-7p75-jhf5

## What is CVE-2006-5442?

CVE-2006-5442 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 21 Oct 2006. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

ViewVC 1.0.2 and earlier does not specify a charset in its HTTP headers or HTML documents, which allows remote attackers to conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks that inject arbitrary UTF-7 encoded JavaScript code via a view.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2006-5442?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Viewvc Viewvc.

## How do I fix CVE-2006-5442?

No fix has been published for CVE-2006-5442 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2006-5442 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2006-5442 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2025-54141](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-54141/): ViewVC's standalone server exposes arbitrary server filesystem content (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2010-0005](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0005/): Auth bypass in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2023-22456](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-22456/): ViewVC XSS vulnerability in revision view changed paths (medium 6.1)
- [CVE-2008-4325](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-4325/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (medium 5.8)
- [CVE-2023-22464](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-22464/): ViewVC XSS vulnerability in revision view changed path "copyfrom" locations (medium 5.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2006-5442 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2006-5442 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 21 Oct 2006. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2006-5442 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-5442/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-5442/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2006-5442
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2006-5442
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2006-5442

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-5442/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.