CVE-2013-2187 in Archiva
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Apache Archiva 1.2 through 1.2.2 and 1.3 before 1.3.8 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified parameters, related to the home page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/11/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2187 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Apache Archiva versions 1.2 through 1.2.2 and 1.3 prior to 1.3.8. This security weakness resides within the application's handling of user-supplied input on the home page, creating an avenue for remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize parameters received from web requests, allowing malicious payloads to be stored or executed without proper authorization.
This XSS vulnerability operates through the exploitation of improper parameter handling within the Archiva web interface, specifically targeting the home page functionality where user input is processed without adequate sanitization measures. The flaw enables attackers to inject malicious scripts that can execute in the victim's browser when they navigate to the affected page, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. The unspecified nature of the vulnerable parameters suggests that multiple input vectors within the home page component could be exploited, making the attack surface broader than initially apparent. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, where inadequate input validation allows attackers to inject malicious code that executes in the context of other users.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-2187 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that compromise the integrity of the Archiva repository and potentially the entire development environment it serves. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, modify repository contents, or redirect users to phishing sites that mimic the legitimate Archiva interface. The attack requires no special privileges beyond access to the vulnerable web application, making it particularly dangerous in environments where Archiva serves as a central repository for software artifacts. The vulnerability affects organizations using Archiva for managing Maven repositories, where the compromise of the repository could lead to supply chain attacks or unauthorized modifications to critical software dependencies.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Apache Archiva version 1.3.8 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the XSS vulnerability. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing input validation filters, output encoding mechanisms, and regular security audits of web applications. The remediation strategy should align with defensive techniques outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the web application attack patterns, specifically targeting the execution of malicious code through web interfaces. Security teams should also establish monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts and implement proper access controls to limit the impact of any successful attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date web application security practices and the critical need for regular vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in software development tooling environments.