CVE-2012-5608 in ownCloud
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in apps/user_webdavauth/settings.php in ownCloud 4.5.x before 4.5.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via arbitrary POST parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/31/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2012-5608 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the ownCloud web application version 4.5.x prior to 4.5.2. This vulnerability specifically affects the user_webdavauth module within the ownCloud platform, which handles webdav authentication settings. The flaw resides in the settings.php file where the application fails to properly sanitize user input received through POST parameters, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated users' browsers. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that should have been implemented to prevent malicious data from being processed and rendered without proper sanitization.
This XSS vulnerability operates through the manipulation of POST parameters that are passed to the settings.php endpoint, allowing remote attackers to inject malicious payloads without requiring any authentication or privileged access. The flaw falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-site Scripting vulnerabilities, and represents a classic case of improper input validation where user-supplied data is directly incorporated into web pages without adequate sanitization. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it does not require any special privileges or complex exploitation techniques, making it accessible to a wide range of threat actors including those with minimal technical expertise. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform various malicious activities such as session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious websites, all while operating under the trust context of legitimate ownCloud users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the ability to manipulate the web application's functionality and compromise user sessions. When authenticated users interact with the vulnerable application, their browsers execute the injected malicious code, potentially leading to complete account compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive data stored within the ownCloud environment. The vulnerability affects the authentication module specifically, which means that attackers could potentially gain access to user credentials or manipulate authentication settings to establish persistent access. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers Scripting through the use of malicious scripts that execute in the victim's browser context, and represents a significant risk to enterprise environments where ownCloud serves as a collaboration platform for sensitive business information.
The remediation for CVE-2012-5608 requires immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the ownCloud application. The fix should involve implementing strict sanitization of all user-supplied POST parameters before they are processed or rendered in web pages, ensuring that any potentially malicious content is properly escaped or removed. Organizations should upgrade to ownCloud version 4.5.2 or later, which includes patches specifically addressing this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be executed. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious POST parameter patterns and regular vulnerability scanning of web applications to identify similar input validation flaws. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and input validation as fundamental security controls that should be implemented throughout web application development lifecycle.