CVE-2014-5106 in IP.Board
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Invision Power IP.Board (aka IPB or Power Board) 3.4.x through 3.4.6 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the HTTP Referer header to admin/install/index.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/06/2018
The CVE-2014-5106 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in Invision Power IP.Board version 3.4.x through 3.4.6, specifically affecting the administrative installation script. This vulnerability resides in the handling of HTTP Referer headers within the admin/install/index.php endpoint, creating a persistent security weakness that enables malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated admin sessions. The flaw demonstrates a classic input validation failure where user-supplied data from the Referer header is inadequately sanitized before being processed or displayed, thereby creating an attack surface that can be exploited by remote threat actors without requiring authentication or privileged access.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the HTTP Referer header during the installation process, where the application fails to properly validate or escape the input before incorporating it into the response. This allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the browser context of administrators who visit the vulnerable installation page. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and more precisely aligns with CWE-80 which deals with improper neutralization of script-related HTML tags in a web page. The attack vector operates through the standard HTTP protocol where the Referer header is automatically populated by web browsers when navigating from one page to another, making this attack surface particularly accessible and difficult to detect.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with the capability to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized administrative access to vulnerable IP.Board installations. Once successfully exploited, the malicious scripts could potentially redirect administrators to phishing sites, steal session cookies, modify installation parameters, or even execute arbitrary commands on the affected server. The vulnerability's persistence in versions 3.4.0 through 3.4.6 indicates a prolonged period during which administrators were exposed to potential compromise, as these versions were widely deployed across various organizations and websites. This weakness directly violates security principles outlined in the OWASP Top Ten, particularly the A03:2021-Injection category, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as the vulnerability enables execution of arbitrary code through web-based attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening measures. The primary solution involves applying the vendor-provided security patches that implement proper input validation and output encoding for the Referer header in the installation script. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input sanitization measures across all web application components, particularly focusing on HTTP header processing and the implementation of Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution. Additionally, network-level protections such as web application firewalls and regular security scanning should be deployed to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of secure coding practices, specifically input validation and output encoding, as recommended by the CERT/CC Secure Coding Standards and the OWASP Secure Coding Practices. Regular security assessments, proper access controls, and maintaining up-to-date software versions are essential defensive measures that could have prevented exploitation of this particular vulnerability.