CVE-2015-9103 in Note Station
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Synology Note Station 1.1-0212 and earlier allow remote authenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) note title or (2) file name of attachments.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-9103 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Synology Note Station version 1.1-0212 and earlier installations. This security weakness stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's web interface, specifically affecting two distinct data entry points. The vulnerability affects authenticated users who possess valid credentials to access the Note Station application, creating a vector through which malicious actors can execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' sessions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input during note creation and file attachment processes. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious payloads in the note title field or attachment filename fields, which are then rendered without proper HTML escaping or sanitization. This allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the browser context of other users who view the compromised notes or attachments. The flaw operates as a persistent XSS vulnerability since the malicious content is stored within the application's database and remains active until manually removed.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations utilizing Synology Note Station for collaborative documentation and note-taking. An authenticated attacker can leverage this flaw to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of other users, redirect victims to malicious websites, or even exfiltrate sensitive information from the application. The attack requires only legitimate user credentials, making it particularly dangerous as it bypasses many traditional authentication-based security controls. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the note-taking environment, potentially leading to data breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive organizational information.
The root cause of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting weaknesses in web applications. This classification indicates that the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user input before rendering it in web pages, creating opportunities for malicious script injection. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving client-side code execution and credential access, potentially enabling adversaries to establish persistent access through session hijacking or information gathering activities. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches, implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, and conducting user education regarding the risks of clicking on suspicious links or attachments. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring of suspicious user activities can help detect potential exploitation attempts and limit the damage from successful attacks.