CVE-2015-5462 in Axiom Google Web Toolkit Module
Summary
by MITRE
AxiomSL's Axiom Google Web Toolkit module 9.5.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject HTML into the scoping dashboard features.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/21/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-5462 affects AxiomSL's Axiom Google Web Toolkit module version 9.5.3 and earlier, representing a critical cross-site scripting vulnerability that undermines the security of web applications built on this framework. This flaw resides within the scoping dashboard features of the module, which are designed to provide administrative control and monitoring capabilities for users within the AxiomSL platform. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it within web pages. Attackers can exploit this weakness by injecting malicious HTML code through input fields or parameters that are processed by the dashboard functionality, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data theft, or system compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) flaws occurring when web applications fail to validate or encode user input before incorporating it into dynamic web content. This specific implementation vulnerability demonstrates a classic XSS attack vector where unfiltered user data flows directly into HTML output without proper sanitization. The impact is particularly severe because the affected module targets dashboard features that likely contain sensitive operational data and administrative controls, making the potential attack surface particularly valuable to threat actors. The vulnerability exists in the scoping dashboard components, suggesting that any functionality allowing user input to influence dashboard display or configuration may be susceptible to this attack pattern.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations using AxiomSL's platform, as it enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of authenticated users' browsers. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites. The attack requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where dashboard features often contain sensitive business intelligence and operational data. The affected version range indicates this flaw was present in a widely used module, potentially exposing numerous installations to this security weakness.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-5462 should prioritize immediate patching of the Axiom Google Web Toolkit module to version 9.5.4 or later, which would contain the necessary fixes for input validation and output encoding. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization measures, including the use of proper HTML encoding for all dynamic content, and establish strict validation policies for all user-supplied data entering the system. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to detect and block malicious injection attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and code reviews to identify similar XSS patterns in custom web applications. According to ATT&CK framework category T1190, this vulnerability maps to the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities through injection techniques, emphasizing the need for robust application security controls and regular security updates to prevent such attacks from compromising enterprise systems.