CVE-2015-7520 in Wicket
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in the (1) RadioGroup and (2) CheckBoxMultipleChoice classes in Apache Wicket 1.5.x before 1.5.15, 6.x before 6.22.0, and 7.x before 7.2.0 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted "value" attribute in a <input> element.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/13/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7520 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Apache Wicket web framework versions prior to specific patches. This issue impacts multiple core components including RadioGroup and CheckBoxMultipleChoice classes that are fundamental to building dynamic web interfaces. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within these UI components, creating exploitable entry points for malicious actors seeking to inject harmful scripts into web applications built with Apache Wicket.
The technical flaw manifests when these specific UI components process user input through the value attribute of input elements. Attackers can craft malicious input containing script code within the value parameter of <input> elements, which then gets rendered without proper sanitization. This occurs because the framework fails to adequately escape or validate the input before incorporating it into the generated HTML output. The vulnerability affects multiple version streams including 1.5.x before 1.5.15, 6.x before 6.22.0, and 7.x before 7.2.0, indicating a widespread issue across different release branches of the framework.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts in the context of affected applications. Successful exploitation can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, data manipulation, and potentially full system compromise depending on the application's security context. Attackers can leverage these XSS vulnerabilities to steal user sessions, redirect victims to malicious sites, deface web applications, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability affects any web application using the affected Apache Wicket components, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where these frameworks are widely deployed.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-7520 involve immediate patching of affected Apache Wicket versions to the recommended secure releases including 1.5.15, 6.22.0, and 7.2.0. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms, particularly for user-supplied data that gets rendered in web interfaces. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting as a critical weakness in web application security. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving code injection and credential access, specifically T1059.007 for scripting and T1531 for credential access through web applications. Additional protective measures include implementing Content Security Policy headers, using web application firewalls, and conducting regular security testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in custom application code that may interact with the affected framework components.