CVE-2015-0343 in Connect
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in admin/home/homepage/search in the web app in Adobe Connect before 9.4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the query parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/21/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-0343 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Adobe Connect's administrative interface, specifically in the homepage search functionality. This weakness exists in versions prior to 9.4 and enables remote attackers to execute malicious code through manipulation of the query parameter. The affected component resides within the admin/home/homepage/search path of the web application, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise the administrative environment.
This XSS vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Adobe Connect application. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content through the query parameter, which then gets executed in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability is classified as a classic reflected XSS attack where malicious input is immediately reflected back to the user without proper sanitization or encoding. The attack vector operates through the web application's search functionality, where user-provided input is directly incorporated into the response without adequate security measures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant, as it provides attackers with the ability to compromise the administrative interface of Adobe Connect deployments. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to perform actions such as stealing administrative session cookies, modifying content within the application, redirecting users to malicious sites, or executing arbitrary commands on behalf of authenticated administrators. This poses a severe risk to organizations relying on Adobe Connect for collaborative environments, as it could lead to complete compromise of the system. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the administrative functions, potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive configuration settings and user data.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Adobe Connect version 9.4 or later, which contains the necessary patches for this vulnerability. Additionally, input validation should be strengthened at the application level by implementing proper output encoding and sanitization techniques for all user-supplied input. Web application firewalls can provide additional protection layers, though they should not be considered a substitute for proper application-level fixes. Security headers such as Content Security Policy should be implemented to prevent unauthorized script execution. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection attacks, emphasizing the need for comprehensive input validation and output encoding practices across all web applications.