CVE-2015-6809 in BEdita
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in BEdita before 3.6.0 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) cfg[projectName] parameter to index.php/admin/saveConfig, the (2) data[stats_provider_url] parameter to index.php/areas/saveArea, or the (3) data[description] parameter to index.php/areas/saveSection.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2025
The CVE-2015-6809 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting BEdita content management system versions prior to 3.6.0. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's administrative interfaces, specifically targeting three distinct parameter injection points that collectively represent a significant security weakness in the system's data handling processes. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as improper neutralization of input during web page generation, which directly enables malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts within the context of authenticated user sessions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through three primary attack vectors that all rely on the same fundamental flaw - insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data before it is processed and stored within the application's database. The first vector targets the cfg[projectName] parameter in the index.php/admin/saveConfig endpoint, where attackers can inject malicious scripts that will execute whenever the configuration page is accessed. The second vector exploits the data[stats_provider_url] parameter within index.php/areas/saveArea, while the third targets the data[description] parameter in index.php/areas/saveSection. All three attack surfaces share the common weakness of failing to properly validate or escape input data, allowing attackers to embed malicious JavaScript code or HTML elements that persist within the application's data storage.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to potentially hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, manipulate content, or redirect users to malicious websites. Given that these parameters are typically used in administrative contexts, successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain elevated privileges or modify critical system configurations. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework as part of the Web Application Attack technique category indicates that it represents a fundamental weakness in the application's web interface security posture. The persistent nature of the stored XSS vulnerability means that once injected, malicious scripts will execute for any user who accesses the affected pages, potentially affecting multiple users over extended periods.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-6809 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-supplied data entry points. Organizations should immediately upgrade to BEdita version 3.6.0 or later, which includes proper sanitization routines for all affected parameters. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be executed. The remediation process must also include thorough code review to identify and address similar input validation weaknesses throughout the application, particularly in administrative interfaces where user input is processed. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious parameter values before they can be processed by the application, while maintaining detailed logging of all administrative activities to facilitate incident response and forensic analysis.