CVE-2014-3247 in Collabtive
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Collabtive 1.2 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the desc parameter in an Add project (addpro) action to admin.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3247 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Collabtive version 1.2, specifically targeting the administrative interface of the collaborative project management platform. This vulnerability exists in the way the application processes user input through the desc parameter during project creation activities, creating a significant security risk for organizations utilizing this software. The flaw permits authenticated attackers with valid credentials to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, session hijacking, or further exploitation of the compromised environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the admin.php script when handling the desc parameter in the addpro action. When an authenticated user submits project details through the administrative interface, the application fails to properly escape or filter special characters in the description field before rendering the content back to users. This allows malicious actors to inject JavaScript code or HTML fragments that execute in the browsers of other users who view the affected project information. The vulnerability specifically targets the desc parameter, which is commonly used for project descriptions and can contain rich text formatting, making it a prime target for injection attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent access to the system through session manipulation, credential theft, or data exfiltration. An attacker with minimal privileges can leverage this vulnerability to compromise other users' sessions, potentially gaining access to sensitive project data, user credentials, or administrative functions. The authenticated nature of the vulnerability means that attackers do not require special privileges to exploit this flaw, as they only need valid user credentials to access the administrative interface. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have access to the platform, as a single compromised account can lead to widespread security breaches.
Organizations utilizing Collabtive 1.2 should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied data, particularly in administrative interfaces where sensitive operations occur. The recommended approach involves implementing proper HTML entity encoding for all output generated from user input, ensuring that special characters are properly escaped before display. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against script execution. Organizations should also consider implementing input length restrictions and regular security audits of their collaborative platforms to identify similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a common attack vector that appears in numerous web applications, making it a critical area for security hardening. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.007 for Scripting and T1566.001 for Spearphishing Attachment, as it enables attackers to deliver malicious payloads through legitimate administrative interfaces.