CVE-2013-4204 in Web Toolkit
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in the JUnit files in the GWTTestCase in Google Web Toolkit (GWT) before 2.5.1 RC1 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/11/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4204 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness within the Google Web Toolkit's GWTTestCase component, affecting versions prior to 2.5.1 RC1. This issue resides in the JUnit testing framework implementation that Google Web Toolkit provides for developers to create and execute client-side tests. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the GWTTestCase files that handle test execution and reporting functionalities. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that get executed within the context of a victim's browser when the vulnerable GWT application processes these inputs during test execution phases.
The technical flaw manifests through unspecified vectors that allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the application's test reporting mechanisms. This occurs because the GWTTestCase component fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input data before rendering it in the browser environment. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous as it operates within the testing framework itself, meaning that even legitimate testing activities could become attack vectors. The lack of specific vector details in the original CVE description suggests that multiple injection points exist within the test case handling logic, potentially affecting various aspects of the test execution environment including test result displays, error messages, and parameter handling within the GWT testing infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple XSS exploitation as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information from authenticated users, redirect victims to malicious sites, or even execute arbitrary commands within the context of the victim's browser. Since the vulnerability exists within a testing framework that may be accessible in production environments or during development phases, the attack surface is significantly broader than typical application-level XSS vulnerabilities. This weakness can be leveraged by attackers to gain unauthorized access to user sessions, escalate privileges, or perform data exfiltration from applications using affected GWT versions. The vulnerability also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly execute malicious test cases, potentially compromising their development environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-4204 primarily focus on upgrading to Google Web Toolkit version 2.5.1 RC1 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation at multiple layers including application-level, framework-level, and API-level controls. The implementation of Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide additional protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be executed. Regular security testing and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in custom GWT components or third-party libraries. Additionally, developers should follow secure coding practices such as implementing proper output encoding for all dynamic content and avoiding the use of dangerous JavaScript methods like eval() or innerHTML manipulation. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and may map to ATT&CK techniques involving command and control through web-based attacks and credential access through session hijacking. Organizations should also consider implementing Web Application Firewalls to detect and prevent exploitation attempts targeting this and similar vulnerabilities in their GWT-based applications.