CVE-2011-2672 in SemanticScuttle
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in SemanticScuttle before 0.98 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2019
The CVE-2011-2672 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in SemanticScuttle versions prior to 0.98, a web-based bookmarking application designed for semantic web integration. This vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into web page content. The vulnerability exists in the application's handling of user-provided data within web interfaces, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical exploitation of this XSS vulnerability occurs through unspecified vectors within the SemanticScuttle application's data processing pipeline. Attackers can craft malicious input that gets stored or reflected in the web application's output, allowing them to inject HTML code or JavaScript payloads. The vulnerability's impact is significant because it enables attackers to bypass normal access controls and potentially escalate privileges or steal sensitive information from authenticated users. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple entry points within the application could be exploited, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it may affect various user interaction points including bookmark descriptions, tags, or other user-generated content fields.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with persistent access to user sessions and potentially sensitive data within the SemanticScuttle environment. When users view affected pages containing malicious scripts, their browsers execute the injected code, which could result in session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of user data within the application, potentially compromising the trust relationship between users and the system. Given that SemanticScuttle was designed for semantic web integration, the attack surface could be expanded through the exploitation of linked data or RDF feeds that might be processed and displayed within the application.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a classic example of input validation failure that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, where adversaries leverage web-based scripting languages to execute malicious payloads. The remediation strategy involves implementing comprehensive input sanitization measures, including proper encoding of user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages. Organizations should deploy Content Security Policy headers to mitigate the impact of potential XSS attacks, while also implementing proper output encoding for all dynamic content. The upgrade to SemanticScuttle version 0.98 or later represents the primary mitigation, as this release included patches addressing the specific input handling flaws that enabled the XSS exploitation. Additionally, regular security testing including automated scanning and manual penetration testing should be implemented to identify similar vulnerabilities in web applications. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation in web applications and demonstrates how seemingly minor flaws in data handling can lead to significant security breaches affecting user privacy and system integrity.