CVE-2015-8760 in TYPO3
Summary
by MITRE
The Flvplayer component in TYPO3 6.2.x before 6.2.16 allows remote attackers to embed Flash videos from external domains via unspecified vectors, aka "Cross-Site Flashing."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-8760 affects the Flvplayer component within TYPO3 content management system versions 6.2.x prior to 6.2.16. This security flaw enables remote attackers to embed Flash videos from external domains through unspecified attack vectors, creating a cross-site flashing vulnerability that poses significant risks to web application security. The issue stems from insufficient validation and sanitization of Flash video sources within the player component, allowing malicious actors to inject external content that can execute in the context of the victim's browser session.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the Flvplayer component's failure to properly restrict or validate external Flash content sources. When users interact with web pages containing the vulnerable component, the system accepts and processes Flash video URLs from arbitrary domains without adequate security controls. This behavior creates an attack surface where malicious actors can leverage the component to load Flash content from compromised or malicious domains, potentially executing malicious code or conducting cross-site scripting attacks. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of web application security and multimedia content handling, exploiting the trust relationship between the content management system and its embedded media players.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-8760 extends beyond simple content embedding, as it enables attackers to potentially execute malicious Flash content, perform cross-site request forgery attacks, or redirect users to malicious websites. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations using TYPO3 6.2.x versions before the patched release, where the Flvplayer component remains exposed to external domain injection. The risk is amplified by the widespread adoption of Flash-based media players in web applications, making this a significant concern for enterprise security teams managing TYPO3 installations. The vulnerability can lead to data exfiltration, session hijacking, or the delivery of additional malware through compromised Flash content.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability require immediate patching of TYPO3 installations to version 6.2.16 or later, which addresses the improper validation of external Flash content sources. Organizations should also implement content security policies that restrict Flash content loading from external domains and consider disabling or removing the Flvplayer component if it is not essential for business operations. Network-level controls such as web application firewalls can provide additional protection by filtering malicious Flash content requests. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and represents a specific instance of cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that can be exploited through media player components. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under initial access and execution techniques where adversaries leverage web-based attack vectors to gain unauthorized access through compromised web applications. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify other components that may be susceptible to similar cross-site embedding vulnerabilities, ensuring a holistic approach to web application security.