CVE-2016-10216 in ITDB DataBase
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in IT ITems DataBase (ITDB) through 1.23. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient filtration of user-supplied data in the "value" HTTP POST parameter passed to the "itdb-1.23/js/DataTables-1.8.2/examples/examples_support/editable_ajax.php" URL. An attacker could execute arbitrary HTML and script code in a browser in the context of the vulnerable website.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10216 resides within the IT Items DataBase (ITDB) application version 1.23 and earlier, representing a classic cross-site scripting flaw that fundamentally compromises web application security. This issue specifically manifests in the editable_ajax.php script within the DataTables library integration, where the application fails to properly sanitize user input before rendering it within web pages. The vulnerability stems from the application's inadequate validation and filtering mechanisms for the "value" HTTP POST parameter, which serves as an entry point for malicious input manipulation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the "value" parameter in HTTP POST requests directed at the vulnerable endpoint. When an attacker submits malicious content through this parameter, the application processes the input without sufficient sanitization, allowing HTML and JavaScript code to be executed within the browser context of legitimate users. This type of flaw falls under CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities, and represents a critical security weakness that enables attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and demonstrates poor input validation practices that violate fundamental web security principles.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, steal user credentials, deface web pages, and potentially escalate privileges within the application. An attacker could craft malicious payloads that redirect users to phishing sites, steal cookies containing session information, or even execute more sophisticated attacks such as DOM-based XSS if the application's response handling permits additional attack vectors. The vulnerability affects any user who interacts with the vulnerable ITDB application, particularly those who have access to the DataTables functionality that processes the unfiltered POST data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application stack. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through proper escaping techniques before rendering it in web contexts, which aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1203 for legitimate program execution and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, deploy web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, and ensure all third-party components are updated to versions that address known vulnerabilities. Additionally, regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual code reviews should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses that may exist in other parts of the application or related systems.