CVE-2014-9760 in GOsa
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the displayLogin function in html/index.php in GOsa allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the username.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2022
The CVE-2014-9760 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the GOsa web application's authentication interface. This vulnerability specifically affects the displayLogin function located in the html/index.php file, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this open-source identity management system. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of authenticated user sessions, potentially compromising the entire authentication framework.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the username parameter within the login function, where input validation fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data. When a user submits a username containing malicious script code, the application fails to escape or filter the input before rendering it in the web interface. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript code that executes in the victim's browser, bypassing standard security controls. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to hijack user sessions, steal authentication tokens, and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive organizational resources. Attackers can craft malicious usernames that, when processed by the vulnerable displayLogin function, execute scripts that capture user credentials or redirect users to phishing sites. This threat is particularly severe in enterprise environments where GOsa manages user identities and access controls, as successful exploitation could lead to privilege escalation and lateral movement within the network infrastructure.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied data within the login interface. The recommended approach involves sanitizing username inputs through proper HTML entity encoding before rendering them in the web interface, as specified in OWASP XSS Prevention Cheat Sheet guidelines. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers and using secure session management practices can significantly reduce the attack surface. Regular security audits of web applications should include thorough testing of authentication interfaces for similar input validation flaws, particularly focusing on areas where user-provided data is directly rendered without proper sanitization. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining secure coding practices and conducting regular vulnerability assessments to protect against persistent threats in web-based identity management systems.