CVE-2015-6584 in DataTables Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the DataTables plugin 1.10.8 and earlier for jQuery allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the scripts parameter to media/unit_testing/templates/6776.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6584 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the DataTables jQuery plugin version 1.10.8 and earlier. This security weakness specifically affects web applications that utilize the DataTables plugin for displaying tabular data with enhanced functionality including sorting, filtering, and pagination. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the plugin's handling of the scripts parameter, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code within the context of a victim's browser session.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the scripts parameter in the media/unit_testing/templates/6776.php endpoint. When an attacker crafts malicious input containing script tags or HTML content and submits it through this parameter, the DataTables plugin fails to properly sanitize or escape the user-supplied data before rendering it within the web page. This allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that executes in the victim's browser when the affected page loads, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting weaknesses in web applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-6584 extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with persistent access to user sessions and can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks within the target environment. Web applications utilizing vulnerable DataTables versions become susceptible to various attack vectors including but not limited to cookie theft, defacement of web content, and potential privilege escalation if users have elevated permissions. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that DataTables is a widely used jQuery plugin, meaning numerous websites and web applications could be compromised through this single vulnerability.
Security practitioners should immediately implement mitigations including updating to DataTables version 1.10.9 or later where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the vulnerable plugin across their web applications and ensure that all user inputs are properly validated and sanitized before being processed by the plugin. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious parameter submissions, and web application firewalls can provide an additional layer of protection against exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date third-party libraries and implementing proper security controls in accordance with the ATT&CK framework's mitigation strategies for web application attacks, particularly focusing on input validation and output encoding controls.