CVE-2012-3233 in Fusion
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in __swift/thirdparty/PHPExcel/PHPExcel/Shared/JAMA/docs/download.php in Kayako Fusion 4.40.1148, and possibly before 4.50.1581, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the PATH_INFO.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/23/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-3233 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Kayako Fusion customer relationship management platform. This issue specifically affects the PHPExcel library component that is integrated into the Kayako Fusion 4.40.1148 version and potentially earlier releases up to 4.50.1581. The vulnerability exists in the download.php file located within the __swift/thirdparty/PHPExcel/PHPExcel/Shared/JAMA/docs/ directory structure, making it accessible through the web application's attack surface. The flaw enables malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of a victim's browser session.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and output encoding within the PATH_INFO parameter handling. When the application processes requests through the PATH_INFO variable, it fails to adequately sanitize or escape user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. This primitive input processing allows attackers to inject malicious payloads that get executed when legitimate users view the affected pages. The vulnerability manifests as a classic reflected XSS issue where the malicious script is embedded in the URL path and executed upon page rendering without proper context-aware encoding or sanitization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, deface web applications, steal sensitive user information, or redirect victims to malicious sites. Attackers can craft malicious URLs that, when visited by authenticated users, execute unauthorized commands within the victim's browser context. This creates significant risks for organizations using Kayako Fusion, particularly those handling sensitive customer data or requiring secure user authentication. The vulnerability affects the entire application ecosystem since it resides in a core library component that may be utilized across multiple modules within the platform.
Security professionals should note this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications, and maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for phishing with malicious attachments. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation, output encoding, and proper sanitization of all PATH_INFO parameters. The most effective remediation involves upgrading to Kayako Fusion versions 4.50.1581 or later where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper input validation and sanitization measures. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers and regular security scanning of web applications can provide defense-in-depth measures against similar vulnerabilities.