CVE-2014-3149 in IP.Board
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Invision Power IP.Board (aka IPB or Power Board) 3.3.x and 3.4.x through 3.4.6, as downloaded before 20140424, or IP.Nexus 1.5.x through 1.5.9, as downloaded before 20140424, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2022
The CVE-2014-3149 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Invision Power IP.Board versions 3.3.x and 3.4.x through 3.4.6, as well as IP.Nexus versions 1.5.x through 1.5.9, specifically those downloaded prior to April 24, 2014. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability's impact stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the affected software platforms, creating an exploitable entry point for malicious actors to execute unauthorized code in the context of victim browsers.
The technical flaw manifests through unspecified vectors that likely involve inadequate sanitization of user-supplied input data within the forum and content management systems. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by injecting malicious scripts or HTML code through various input fields, including but not limited to user profiles, forum posts, comments, or administrative interfaces. The vulnerability's exploitation requires no authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered by any remote user with access to the affected platform. The flaw exists in the application's data handling processes where user input is not properly escaped or validated before being rendered in web pages, allowing malicious payloads to execute in the context of other users' browsers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling sophisticated attack vectors such as session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious sites. An attacker could craft malicious posts containing javascript payloads that steal cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or even execute arbitrary commands on compromised systems. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions and products within the Invision Power ecosystem amplifies its potential damage, as administrators may have deployed multiple affected applications simultaneously. This creates a cascading security risk where compromise of one application could potentially lead to broader system infiltration, especially given that these platforms often serve as central hubs for community engagement and user interaction.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through official patches provided by Invision Power, as the software vendor would have released security updates addressing the specific input validation gaps. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive input sanitization across all user-facing interfaces, implementation of proper output encoding mechanisms, and deployment of web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. Security teams must also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and monitor for anomalous user behavior patterns that might indicate successful exploitation. Additionally, regular security audits should be performed to ensure that all deployed versions of these platforms remain up-to-date with the latest security patches, as this vulnerability represents a classic example of how outdated software can create persistent security risks in enterprise environments. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this vulnerability under T1059.007 for Scripting and T1531 for Account Access Removal, highlighting the potential for both code execution and credential compromise through this XSS vector.