CVE-2014-4033 in eFront
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in libraries/includes/personal/profile.php in Epignosis eFront 3.6.14.4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the surname parameter to student.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-4033 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Epignosis eFront learning management system version 3.6.14.4. This security weakness resides in the profile.php file located within the libraries/includes/personal directory structure, specifically affecting the student.php endpoint that handles user profile management. The issue manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize or validate user input received through the surname parameter, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and well-documented web application security flaws. The attack vector specifically targets the surname parameter in the student.php interface, where user-supplied data flows directly into the application's output without adequate sanitization mechanisms. The flaw enables remote attackers to inject malicious content that gets executed whenever other users view the affected profile page, making it a persistent threat that can affect multiple users within the system. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can potentially facilitate session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites.
The operational implications of this vulnerability are significant for educational institutions utilizing the eFront platform, as it creates a persistent threat vector that can compromise user sessions and potentially lead to unauthorized access to sensitive educational data. Attackers could exploit this flaw to steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or execute malicious scripts that could exfiltrate personal information or academic records. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of user data within the learning management system, potentially exposing student information, grades, and personal details to unauthorized parties. Given that eFront systems typically handle sensitive educational data and personal information, the exploitation of such a flaw could result in compliance violations under various data protection regulations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's data flow. The recommended approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input, particularly parameters like surname, through strict validation that rejects or removes potentially malicious content before processing. This includes implementing proper HTML entity encoding when displaying user data back to the browser, which prevents the execution of injected scripts. Additionally, developers should employ Content Security Policy headers to add an additional layer of protection against script injection attacks. The vulnerability underscores the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to the OWASP Top Ten security guidelines, particularly those related to input validation and output encoding. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities across the entire application codebase, as this flaw demonstrates how insufficient sanitization of user input can create persistent security risks in web applications. Organizations using eFront should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems to detect and prevent exploitation attempts.