CVE-2015-6810 in IP.Board
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Invision Power Services IPS Community Suite (aka Invision Power Board, IPB, or Power Board) 4.x before 4.0.12.1 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the event_location[address] array parameter to calendar/submit/.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/23/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2015-6810 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the Invision Power Services IPS Community Suite version 4.x prior to 4.0.12.1. This security weakness resides in the calendar/submit/ endpoint where the event_location[address] array parameter fails to properly sanitize user input, creating an avenue for malicious code injection. The vulnerability specifically affects authenticated users who possess the necessary permissions to access the calendar submission functionality, making it particularly concerning for community platforms where user engagement is high and trust levels are established.
This XSS vulnerability operates through the improper handling of the event_location[address] parameter which is part of an array structure used for calendar event management. When authenticated users submit calendar events containing malicious scripts within the address field, the application fails to adequately filter or escape the input before processing. The flaw allows attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content that gets executed in the context of other users' browsers when they view the calendar events. The vulnerability is classified as a reflected XSS issue under CWE-79 since the malicious content is reflected back to users through the application's response without proper sanitization. This type of vulnerability enables attackers to manipulate the application's behavior and potentially gain unauthorized access to user sessions or execute malicious commands.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection as it can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks within the context of the IPS Community Suite. Attackers can craft malicious calendar events that, when viewed by other users, execute scripts to steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or perform actions on behalf of the victim within the application. The authenticated nature of the vulnerability means that attackers need only compromise a legitimate user account to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous for platforms with numerous users and administrative privileges. This vulnerability affects the integrity and availability of the community platform, potentially leading to data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive information, and disruption of normal user activities. The impact is amplified in environments where the calendar feature is frequently used and where users trust the content displayed within the application.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-6810 should focus on immediate patching of the IPS Community Suite to version 4.0.12.1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for input validation and sanitization. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation measures that properly escape or filter all user-supplied data before processing, particularly for parameters that are rendered in web pages. The application should employ proper output encoding techniques to prevent script execution in contexts where user input is displayed. Security measures should include implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components, and developers should follow secure coding practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices and the ATT&CK framework for preventing XSS vulnerabilities. Network monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be configured to detect suspicious calendar submission activities that might indicate exploitation attempts.