CVE-2015-4631 in koha
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Koha 3.14.x before 3.14.16, 3.16.x before 3.16.12, 3.18.x before 3.18.08, and 3.20.x before 3.20.1 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) tag parameter to opac-search.pl; the (2) value parameter to authorities/authorities-home.pl; the (3) delay parameter to acqui/lateorders.pl; the (4) authtypecode or (5) tagfield to admin/auth_subfields_structure.pl; the (6) tagfield parameter to admin/marc_subfields_structure.pl; the (7) limit parameter to catalogue/search.pl; the (8) bookseller_filter, (9) callnumber_filter, (10) EAN_filter, (11) ISSN_filter, (12) publisher_filter, or (13) title_filter parameter to serials/serials-search.pl; or the (14) author, (15) collectiontitle, (16) copyrightdate, (17) isbn, (18) manageddate_from, (19) manageddate_to, (20) publishercode, (21) suggesteddate_from, or (22) suggesteddate_to parameter to suggestion/suggestion.pl; or the (23) direction, (24) display or (25) addshelf parameter to opac-shelves.pl.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2015-4631 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting multiple versions of the Koha integrated library system, a widely-used open-source library management platform. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization across various endpoints within the Koha application, creating multiple attack vectors that could be exploited by remote attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The flaw specifically impacts versions 3.14.x through 3.20.x, with patch releases available to address the identified issues, making this a significant concern for library systems worldwide that rely on Koha for their catalog management and patron services.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through improper handling of user-supplied parameters in various Koha modules, as defined by the Common Weakness Enumeration standard CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting as a critical security weakness. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by injecting malicious scripts through parameters such as tag, value, delay, authtypecode, tagfield, limit, and various filter parameters across different modules including opac-search.pl, authorities-home.pl, acqui/lateorders.pl, and admin modules. The vulnerability affects both the public catalog interface and administrative functions, creating a broad attack surface that could potentially compromise user sessions, steal sensitive information, or redirect users to malicious websites. The flaw specifically manifests when the application fails to properly escape or validate input parameters before rendering them in web responses, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the victim's browser.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it could enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal cookies, access sensitive patron data, or manipulate library catalog information. Given that Koha systems often contain sensitive patron information including personal details, borrowing records, and contact information, the potential for data breaches increases significantly. The vulnerability affects both public-facing catalog interfaces and administrative backends, meaning that unauthorized users could potentially compromise not just user experience but also system integrity and data confidentiality. According to MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, specifically targeting web applications through script injection, and T1566 for phishing with malicious attachments or links, as attackers could craft malicious URLs that exploit these vulnerabilities.
Organizations using affected Koha versions should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to patched versions 3.14.16, 3.16.12, 3.18.08, and 3.20.1 respectively, as these releases contain proper input validation and sanitization measures. Additionally, implementing proper input filtering at the application level, using Content Security Policy headers, and conducting regular security assessments of web applications can help prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current security patches for open-source software, as library systems often serve as repositories for sensitive personal data and require robust security controls to prevent unauthorized access. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to provide additional protection layers against such attacks, particularly in environments where immediate patching may not be feasible.