CVE-2014-1223 in Evolution
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in controlpanel/loading.aspx in Telligent Evolution before 6.1.19.36103, 7.x before 7.1.12.36162, 7.5.x, and 7.6.x before 7.6.7.36651 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the msg parameter. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2025
The CVE-2014-1223 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in Telligent Evolution's control panel component, specifically affecting the loading.aspx page. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which categorizes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, making it a classic XSS attack vector that has plagued web applications for decades. The flaw exists in multiple version ranges including Telligent Evolution 6.1.x before 6.1.19.36103, 7.x before 7.1.12.36162, 7.5.x, and 7.6.x before 7.6.7.36651, indicating a widespread issue that affected a significant portion of the platform's user base. The vulnerability is triggered through the msg parameter in the controlpanel/loading.aspx endpoint, which fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied input before rendering it within the web page context.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers craft malicious payloads containing HTML or JavaScript code and inject them through the msg parameter. When the vulnerable application processes this parameter and displays it without adequate input validation or output encoding, the injected code executes within the context of other users' browsers. This creates a persistent threat where attackers can steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of victims, or redirect users to malicious sites. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be classified under the ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, specifically targeting web application interfaces. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as attackers can manipulate the application's behavior, potentially leading to complete system compromise through session hijacking or privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial for organizations using affected Telligent Evolution versions, as it provides attackers with a straightforward path to compromise user sessions and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive data. The vulnerability affects the control panel functionality which typically handles administrative tasks and user management, making it particularly dangerous as attackers could potentially escalate privileges or manipulate core application features. Organizations relying on Telligent Evolution for collaboration, content management, or community platforms face significant risk of data exposure and service disruption. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple major version lines suggests that the underlying input handling mechanism was fundamentally flawed and required comprehensive patching across the entire product lineage. Security teams must consider the potential for long-term exposure given that many organizations may have deployed these vulnerable versions in production environments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patch application to the affected versions, with administrators prioritizing updates to Telligent Evolution 6.1.19.36103, 7.1.12.36162, and 7.6.7.36651 respectively. Organizations should implement input validation and output encoding mechanisms at the application level to prevent similar issues in other components. The principle of least privilege should be enforced in the control panel access, ensuring that only authorized users can reach the vulnerable endpoint. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense in depth, though they should not be considered a substitute for proper code-level fixes. Regular security assessments and input validation testing should be implemented to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and following secure coding practices that align with OWASP Top 10 recommendations, particularly focusing on input validation and output encoding to prevent XSS attacks.