CVE-2014-9559 in SnipSnap
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in SnipSnap 0.5.2a, 1.0b1, and 1.0b2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the query parameter to /snipsnap-search.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2024
The cross-site scripting vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9559 affects SnipSnap content management systems versions 0.5.2a, 1.0b1, and 1.0b2, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of affected web applications. This vulnerability specifically targets the search functionality of the SnipSnap platform, where the query parameter in the URL path /snipsnap-search fails to properly sanitize user input before rendering it within the web page response. The flaw allows attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code that gets executed in the victim's browser when they access the affected search results page. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is sent to a web browser without proper validation or sanitization, making it a prime target for malicious exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can be leveraged to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious websites. Attackers can craft specially crafted search queries that, when executed by unsuspecting users, can steal authentication cookies or session tokens, effectively compromising user accounts and potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive information within the SnipSnap application. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or any special privileges to exploit it, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that serve a large number of users. This weakness directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which describes the use of malicious scripts to gain access to systems through web application vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-9559 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the SnipSnap application's search functionality. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input parameters before processing them, ensuring that any potentially dangerous characters or script tags are properly escaped or removed. Organizations should implement proper HTML encoding for all dynamic content rendered in web pages, particularly in search result displays and user-generated content sections. Additionally, deploying web application firewalls and implementing content security policies can provide additional layers of protection against such attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices and input validation, as the flaw exists in the core search functionality that processes user input without adequate sanitization measures. System administrators should immediately upgrade to patched versions of SnipSnap or implement temporary workarounds that disable or restrict the vulnerable search functionality until proper security updates can be applied. The remediation process should also include comprehensive security testing of all web application components to identify and address similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other parts of the application's codebase.