CVE-2013-0083 in SharePoint Server
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 SP1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via crafted content, leading to administrative command execution, aka "SharePoint XSS Vulnerability."
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2021
The CVE-2013-0083 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 Service Pack 1 that fundamentally compromises web application security. This vulnerability resides in the server's handling of user-supplied content, creating an exploitable pathway where malicious actors can inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code into the application's response. The flaw specifically affects how SharePoint processes and renders user input, enabling attackers to bypass standard security mechanisms that typically protect against such malicious injections.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within SharePoint's content processing pipeline. When users submit content through various SharePoint interfaces including forms, comments, or document libraries, the system fails to adequately sanitize or encode the input before rendering it in web responses. This inadequate sanitization creates a persistent XSS vector that can be exploited by remote attackers without requiring authentication or privileged access to the system. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because SharePoint Server 2010 SP1 was widely deployed in enterprise environments, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise organizational networks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute administrative commands within the SharePoint environment. Attackers can leverage the XSS payload to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, modify content displayed to other users, or even escalate privileges within the SharePoint farm. The potential for privilege escalation is particularly concerning as SharePoint administrators often have elevated access rights, making successful exploitation a gateway to broader system compromise. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and demonstrates how inadequate input validation can lead to severe security consequences in enterprise collaboration platforms.
The exploitation of CVE-2013-0083 follows patterns consistent with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, where attackers can execute commands through web-based interfaces. Organizations using SharePoint Server 2010 SP1 were particularly vulnerable as the platform lacked robust protection mechanisms against this type of injection attack. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by SharePoint's role in hosting sensitive corporate data, user authentication mechanisms, and collaborative workspaces where attackers could gain access to confidential information or disrupt business operations. Microsoft addressed this issue through security updates and recommended mitigation strategies including input validation hardening, output encoding improvements, and network segmentation to limit the potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.