CVE-2011-2712 in Wicket
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Apache Wicket 1.4.x before 1.4.18, when setAutomaticMultiWindowSupport is enabled, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2019
The CVE-2011-2712 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in Apache Wicket framework versions 1.4.x prior to 1.4.18. This vulnerability specifically manifests when the setAutomaticMultiWindowSupport feature is enabled, creating a dangerous condition that allows remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected applications. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the framework's window management system, which is designed to handle multiple browser windows and tabs in web applications.
The technical flaw resides in how Apache Wicket processes parameters when automatic multi-window support is enabled, failing to properly sanitize or encode user-supplied input before rendering it in the browser context. This weakness creates a pathway for attackers to inject malicious payloads through unspecified parameters that are typically used for window management operations. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages the legitimate framework functionality to execute attacker-controlled code, making detection and prevention more challenging. According to CWE classification, this maps to CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly encode or escape user input before incorporating it into web pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user data, manipulate application functionality, or redirect users to malicious websites. When exploited successfully, the vulnerability allows attackers to bypass standard security measures that protect against XSS attacks, since the malicious code is injected through legitimate framework mechanisms. This creates a particularly insidious threat vector because the malicious content appears to originate from a trusted source within the application. The vulnerability affects organizations using Apache Wicket 1.4.x applications with multi-window support enabled, potentially compromising thousands of web applications that rely on this framework for their user interface components.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate application of the security patch released by Apache Wicket version 1.4.18, which addresses the input validation and output encoding issues in the automatic multi-window support functionality. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation measures, including the use of Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, regular security code reviews focusing on parameter handling, and proper output encoding for all user-supplied data. Additionally, security teams should consider disabling automatic multi-window support if the feature is not essential to application functionality, as this eliminates the attack surface entirely. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper parameter sanitization and input validation in web frameworks, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566.001 for Phishing, as attackers can leverage such vulnerabilities to deliver malicious payloads that appear legitimate to end users.