CVE-2011-2644 in Kiwi
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Kiwi before 3.74.2, as used in SUSE Studio 1.1 before 1.1.4, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors, related to an RPM info display.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2019
The CVE-2011-2644 vulnerability represents a cross-site scripting flaw in the Kiwi tooling framework, specifically affecting versions prior to 3.74.2 and impacting SUSE Studio 1.1 versions before 1.1.4. This vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the RPM information display functionality, creating a persistent security weakness that enables malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts in the context of affected users' browsers. The vulnerability classifies under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting weaknesses in web applications, making it a critical concern for web-based development environments and deployment platforms. The flaw exists in the manner in which the system processes and renders RPM metadata information, particularly when displaying package details within the SUSE Studio interface.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the injection of malicious script code into RPM information fields that are subsequently rendered without proper sanitization or encoding. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting specially formatted RPM package information that contains embedded malicious JavaScript or HTML content. When the vulnerable SUSE Studio interface displays this information, the injected scripts execute within the context of authenticated users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized administrative actions. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it operates through legitimate package metadata handling processes, making it difficult to distinguish between benign and malicious content at runtime. This vulnerability demonstrates a classic lack of proper input sanitization mechanisms and output encoding practices that are fundamental to preventing XSS attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2644 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can compromise the integrity of the entire SUSE Studio development environment and potentially affect downstream deployments. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to sensitive development information, manipulate package configurations, or establish persistent access points within the development infrastructure. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on SUSE Studio for creating custom Linux distributions, as the injected scripts could compromise the entire build process and potentially affect production deployments. This weakness creates a significant risk for enterprise environments where SUSE Studio is used for creating and maintaining custom operating system images for various deployment scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-2644 should focus on immediate version upgrades to Kiwi 3.74.2 and SUSE Studio 1.1.4 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the XSS vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation mechanisms that sanitize all RPM metadata before display, utilizing proper output encoding techniques to prevent script execution in web contexts. The remediation process should also include implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities within the affected applications. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual RPM package metadata submissions that might indicate attempted exploitation attempts. This vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices in development toolchains and demonstrates how seemingly benign functionality can become a significant attack surface when proper security controls are not implemented. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059.007 technique for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript" as it enables malicious script execution through web interfaces.