CVE-2013-4620 in OpenEMR
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in interface/main/onotes/office_comments_full.php in OpenEMR 4.1.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the note parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/23/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4620 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the OpenEMR 4.1.1 medical records management system. This security weakness exists in the office_comments_full.php file, which processes user input through the note parameter, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected user sessions. The flaw fundamentally undermines the application's security posture by allowing attackers to bypass standard input validation mechanisms and inject malicious content directly into the web interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of user-supplied input within the web application's comment handling functionality. When users submit notes through the office_comments_full.php interface, the application fails to properly escape or validate the note parameter before rendering it in the browser context. This omission creates a classic XSS attack vector where malicious scripts can be executed in the victim's browser when they view the compromised content. The vulnerability specifically affects the web interface component of OpenEMR, making it particularly dangerous as it targets end-user interactions with the medical records system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that compromise patient data confidentiality and system integrity. An attacker could potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, or inject persistent scripts that modify the application's behavior. Given that OpenEMR is widely used in healthcare environments, this vulnerability poses significant risks to patient privacy and regulatory compliance, particularly concerning HIPAA requirements for protecting sensitive health information. The attack surface is further expanded as the vulnerability affects all users who interact with the office comments functionality, potentially compromising healthcare providers, administrators, and patients who view the malicious content.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied parameters within the affected application components. The recommended approach involves applying proper HTML escaping to all dynamic content rendered in the web interface and implementing Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution. Additionally, regular security updates and patches should be deployed to address known vulnerabilities in medical applications. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which classifies cross-site scripting as a fundamental web application security weakness, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering through malicious content injection. The remediation process should include comprehensive code review of input handling mechanisms and implementation of secure coding practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future development cycles.