CVE-2014-8600 in KDE-Runtime
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in KDE-Runtime 4.14.3 and earlier, kwebkitpart 1.3.4 and earlier, and kio-extras 5.1.1 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URI using the (1) zip, (2) trash, (3) tar, (4) thumbnail, (5) smtps, (6) smtp, (7) smb, (8) remote, (9) recentdocuments, (10) nntps, (11) nntp, (12) network, (13) mbox, (14) ldaps, (15) ldap, (16) fonts, (17) file, (18) desktop, (19) cgi, (20) bookmarks, or (21) ar scheme, which is not properly handled in an error message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/07/2022
The CVE-2014-8600 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting multiple components within the KDE desktop environment ecosystem. This vulnerability impacts KDE-Runtime 4.14.3 and earlier versions, kwebkitpart 1.3.4 and earlier, and kio-extras 5.1.1 and earlier, creating a widespread security concern for users of these software packages. The flaw specifically resides in how the affected applications handle error messages when processing crafted URIs through various network and file protocols, making it particularly dangerous due to its broad attack surface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input sanitization within the KDE runtime components when dealing with malformed or maliciously constructed URIs. The vulnerability affects 21 distinct URI schemes including zip, trash, tar, thumbnail, smtps, smtp, smb, remote, recentdocuments, nntps, nntp, network, mbox, ldaps, ldap, fonts, file, desktop, cgi, bookmarks, and ar. When these schemes encounter malformed input during error handling processes, the system fails to properly escape or filter the malicious content, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code. This represents a classic XSS vulnerability where user-supplied data flows directly into the application's output without proper sanitization.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-8600 is significant as it enables remote attackers to execute malicious code within the context of a victim's browser session. Attackers can craft specially formatted URIs that, when processed by vulnerable KDE applications, will trigger error messages containing malicious scripts. These scripts can then execute in the victim's browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects core desktop components that users frequently interact with, and the attack vector can be delivered through various network protocols and file systems, making it difficult to defend against completely.
From a security standards perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting flaws in software applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1059.007 for Scripting and T1566.001 for Spearphishing Attachment, as attackers could leverage this vulnerability to deliver malicious payloads through crafted URIs. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website or opening a specially crafted document containing the vulnerable URI scheme. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of KDE-Runtime, kwebkitpart, and kio-extras, implementing network-level filtering to block suspicious URI schemes, and educating users about the risks of visiting untrusted websites or opening unknown documents. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual URI processing patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.