CVE-2015-0913 in EasyCTF
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in EasyCTF before 1.4 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2019
The CVE-2015-0913 vulnerability represents a cross-site scripting flaw discovered in EasyCTF versions prior to 1.4, exposing a critical security weakness that enables authenticated attackers to execute malicious web scripts within victim browsers. This vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting attacks where untrusted data is improperly integrated into web pages without adequate validation or sanitization. The flaw exists in the application's handling of user input within the EasyCTF platform, which is designed for computer security competitions and training environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the application's codebase, allowing authenticated users with legitimate access credentials to inject malicious scripts through unspecified vectors. These vectors likely involve parameters or fields within the platform's user interface that process and display user-provided content without proper sanitization. The vulnerability specifically affects authenticated users, meaning that an attacker must first obtain valid credentials to exploit this weakness, though this does not diminish its potential impact within environments where credential compromise occurs.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it creates a persistent threat vector that could be exploited to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of victims, or redirect users to malicious domains. In the context of EasyCTF, which serves as a security training platform, this vulnerability could compromise the integrity of the entire training environment by allowing attackers to manipulate competition results or gain unauthorized access to sensitive educational materials. The vulnerability's presence in a security-focused application creates a particularly concerning scenario where the platform itself becomes a potential attack vector.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-0913 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The recommended approach involves applying proper sanitization techniques to all user inputs before processing or displaying them within web pages, utilizing established libraries and frameworks that automatically handle XSS prevention. Organizations should also implement the principle of least privilege and ensure that all users have appropriate access controls to prevent unauthorized exploitation. Additionally, regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which covers command and scripting interpreter, as the malicious scripts could be used to execute further attacks or maintain persistence within the compromised environment. The remediation process should include updating to EasyCTF version 1.4 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the XSS vulnerability and prevent unauthorized script injection attacks.