CVE-2013-4754 in Intranet Knowledgebase
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Owl Intranet Knowledgebase 1.10 allow remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the Search field to browse.php or (2) the Title field to prefs.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/28/2019
The CVE-2013-4754 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in Owl Intranet Knowledgebase version 1.10, exposing organizations to significant security risks through persistent and reflected XSS attack vectors. This vulnerability specifically affects two distinct input points within the application's interface, creating multiple attack surfaces for malicious actors who have gained authenticated access to the system. The flaw resides in the application's insufficient sanitization and validation of user-supplied input data, particularly when processing search queries and title modifications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly escape or filter user input before rendering it within web pages. When authenticated users submit data through the Search field in browse.php or the Title field in prefs.php, the application directly incorporates this input into HTML output without adequate security measures. This creates an environment where malicious scripts can be executed in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized data manipulation. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as "Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')", which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to organizations relying on the Owl Intranet Knowledgebase for internal knowledge management and collaboration. The fact that it requires only authenticated access means that insiders with legitimate privileges could exploit this weakness to compromise other users within the same system. Attackers could craft malicious payloads that would execute automatically when other users view affected pages, potentially stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or injecting additional malware. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as these vulnerabilities can be leveraged to escalate privileges or establish persistent backdoors within the organization's network infrastructure.
The attack surface of this vulnerability is particularly concerning given that it affects core functionality of the knowledgebase application. The browse.php component handles search operations that are likely to be frequently used, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to maximize their impact. Meanwhile, the prefs.php component, which manages user preferences and settings, represents another critical entry point where attackers could manipulate user configurations or gain deeper access to system features. Organizations should consider implementing the ATT&CK framework's T1566.001 technique related to "Phishing with Malicious Attachments" as a potential exploitation vector, though in this case the attack is more precisely categorized as T1531 - "Modify System Image" through web-based injection techniques. Mitigation strategies should include comprehensive input validation, output encoding, and the implementation of Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution. Organizations must also consider the principle of least privilege and implement proper access controls to limit the damage potential of authenticated users who might exploit such vulnerabilities.