CVE-2011-2652 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 a crafted archive file list that is used in an overlay file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2011-2652 represents a cross-site scripting flaw that existed within the Kiwi tooling framework prior to version 3.74.2, specifically affecting SUSE Studio 1.1 versions before 1.1.4. This issue arises from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the archive file list processing functionality, creating a vector for malicious code injection that can be exploited by remote attackers. The vulnerability manifests when crafted archive file lists are processed and subsequently rendered within overlay files, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content that executes in the context of other users' browsers. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a critical security weakness in web applications.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of archive file lists that are processed by the Kiwi tool during the creation of SUSE Studio overlay files. When these malformed lists are incorporated into the system, the insufficient sanitization routines fail to properly escape or validate the input data before it is rendered in the web interface. Attackers can craft malicious archive file lists containing script tags or other HTML elements that are then executed when the overlay file is displayed to users. This represents a classic reflected XSS attack vector where user-controllable data flows directly into the web application's output without proper sanitization, making it particularly dangerous for web-based development environments.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2652 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, data theft, and redirection to malicious websites. Since the vulnerability affects SUSE Studio's overlay file generation process, successful exploitation could compromise the integrity of the entire build environment, potentially allowing attackers to inject backdoors into the operating system images being created. This threat is particularly concerning for cloud-based development platforms where multiple users share the same infrastructure, as the vulnerability could be leveraged to gain unauthorized access to other users' projects or steal sensitive build artifacts. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically focusing on the execution of scripts in web applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected systems to version 3.74.2 or later of the Kiwi tool, along with implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should enforce strict sanitization of all user-provided data, particularly when processing archive file lists or any data that will be rendered in web interfaces. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of the input validation routines to ensure that all potentially dangerous characters and script tags are properly escaped or removed. Security measures should also incorporate regular vulnerability assessments of development environments and implement network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing content security policies and disabling unnecessary script execution capabilities in web interfaces can provide additional layers of protection against similar XSS vulnerabilities in the future.