CVE-2011-4277 in ProjectForum
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in CourseForum ProjectForum 7.0.1.3038 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted name of an object within a more object on a wiki page.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/07/2024
The CVE-2011-4277 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the CourseForum ProjectForum 7.0.1.3038 web application that exposes users to significant security risks through improper input validation. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically manifesting as a reflected XSS attack vector that enables remote threat actors to execute malicious code within the context of affected user sessions. The flaw occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input during the processing of wiki page objects, particularly when handling crafted names of objects within more objects, creating an avenue for attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content that gets executed by unsuspecting users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the application's insufficient sanitization of user-provided data within the wiki page rendering engine. When users create or modify wiki content, the system accepts object names without adequate validation or encoding, allowing malicious payloads to be stored and subsequently executed when other users view the affected pages. This creates a persistent XSS vector where the injected scripts can access session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can be leveraged for session hijacking, credential theft, and privilege escalation attacks that compromise the integrity of the entire wiki environment.
The operational implications of CVE-2011-4277 are severe for organizations relying on ProjectForum for collaborative documentation and knowledge management. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information, manipulate wiki content, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the application environment. The reflected nature of the attack means that malicious payloads can be delivered through various vectors including email links, forum posts, or direct user interactions with compromised wiki pages. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Phishing and T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, enabling attackers to establish initial access and execute malicious code within the target environment.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent user-supplied data from being executed as code within the application context. The recommended approach involves implementing strict sanitization of all user inputs, particularly those used in dynamic content generation, and employing Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution. Additionally, the application should be updated to a patched version that properly validates and encodes object names before rendering them within wiki pages, preventing the injection of malicious scripts. Regular security audits and input validation testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the system. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices and proper HTML entity encoding when handling user-generated content in web applications, as specified in OWASP Top 10 security guidelines and industry best practices for preventing XSS attacks.