CVE-2015-5654 in Dojo Toolkit
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Dojo Toolkit before 1.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2022
The CVE-2015-5654 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Dojo Toolkit version 1.1 and earlier, exposing web applications to significant security risks. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The Dojo Toolkit, a comprehensive JavaScript library for building rich internet applications, was found to have insufficient input validation mechanisms that permitted malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content through unspecified attack vectors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of user-supplied input within the Dojo Toolkit's core components. Attackers could exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that would be executed in the context of other users' browsers when they interacted with vulnerable web pages. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability could be triggered through multiple entry points within the toolkit's architecture, potentially including form inputs, URL parameters, or dynamic content rendering functions. This broad attack surface increases the exploitability of the vulnerability and makes it particularly dangerous for applications that rely heavily on the Dojo Toolkit for their user interface components.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-5654 extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious websites. When exploited successfully, this vulnerability allows threat actors to execute arbitrary code within the victim's browser context, potentially leading to complete compromise of user sessions and sensitive data exposure. The vulnerability is particularly concerning for web applications that process untrusted user input, as it provides attackers with a pathway to manipulate application behavior and access protected resources. The long-term implications include potential damage to application integrity, user trust erosion, and compliance violations that may result in regulatory penalties.
Organizations utilizing affected versions of the Dojo Toolkit should immediately implement mitigation strategies including upgrading to version 1.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the XSS vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms can serve as compensating controls to reduce the risk of exploitation. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the affected toolkit within their infrastructure and ensure that proper web application firewall rules are configured to detect and block suspicious script injection attempts. The remediation process should also include security awareness training for development teams to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future application code and adherence to secure coding practices that align with industry standards such as those recommended by the Open Web Application Security Project and the Center for Internet Security.