CVE-2014-3649 in AeroGear
Summary
by MITRE
JBoss AeroGear has reflected XSS via the password field
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3649 represents a reflected cross-site scripting flaw within the JBoss AeroGear authentication system, specifically affecting the password field handling mechanism. This issue resides in the web application's input validation and output encoding processes where user-supplied data is not properly sanitized before being returned to the browser in the response. The vulnerability allows an attacker to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of a victim's browser session, potentially leading to unauthorized access or data exfiltration.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of user inputs in the authentication flow where the password field serves as the attack vector. When a user submits a password containing malicious script content, the application fails to properly encode or escape the input before rendering it back to the user interface. This reflected nature means that the malicious payload is embedded within the HTTP request itself and executed when the victim clicks on a crafted link or when the application processes the request and returns the malicious content in its response. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to hijack user sessions, steal authentication tokens, or redirect victims to malicious sites. Attackers can craft specially designed password inputs that, when processed by the vulnerable AeroGear system, will execute in the victim's browser context. This creates a significant risk for authentication systems where users might be tricked into submitting malicious inputs, particularly in scenarios involving social engineering or compromised user accounts. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that attackers do not need to store malicious code on the server, making detection more challenging and the attack surface more expansive.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's authentication flow. The most effective approach involves implementing strict input sanitization that removes or encodes potentially dangerous characters before any user input is processed or displayed. Security measures should include implementing Content Security Policy headers, proper HTML encoding of all dynamic content, and comprehensive input validation that rejects or sanitizes suspicious payloads. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious requests, along with regular security testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to the principle of least privilege in web application development, as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's web application attacks category.