CVE-2016-10366 in Kibana
Summary
by MITRE
Kibana versions after and including 4.3 and before 4.6.2 are vulnerable to a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/18/2019
Kibana version 4.3 through 4.6.1 contains a critical cross-site scripting vulnerability that allows remote attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. This vulnerability affects the web interface of Kibana, which serves as a visualization and analytics platform for Elasticsearch data. The flaw exists in how Kibana processes and renders user-supplied input within its web application interface, creating an avenue for attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of a victim's browser session. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it impacts the core functionality of Kibana's dashboard and data visualization capabilities, where users frequently interact with dynamic content generated from Elasticsearch query results.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within Kibana's rendering pipeline. When users create visualizations, dashboards, or interact with search results containing unescaped user input, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This flaw specifically affects the way Kibana handles parameters and data fields that are directly rendered in the browser without proper context-aware escaping mechanisms. The vulnerability is classified as a classic reflected XSS issue where malicious payloads can be injected through URL parameters, form fields, or other user-controllable inputs that are then displayed to other users without proper sanitization. According to CWE-79, this represents a failure to sanitize output, which directly enables cross-site scripting attacks that can be leveraged for session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the compromised user's browser.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can lead to complete compromise of user sessions and access to sensitive data within Kibana. An attacker could craft malicious URLs or dashboard configurations that, when viewed by authenticated users, would execute scripts to steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or inject additional malicious code into the application. Since Kibana often serves as a central analytics platform for security operations teams, compromising a user's session could provide access to critical monitoring data, alert configurations, and potentially sensitive operational information. The vulnerability affects all users who have access to Kibana dashboards and visualizations, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users interact with the platform. The attack vector is relatively simple, requiring only that a victim clicks on a maliciously crafted link or views a compromised dashboard, which aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through social engineering.
Organizations using affected Kibana versions should prioritize immediate remediation through the release of version 4.6.2 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and output encoding fixes. The mitigation strategy should also include implementing proper web application firewalls, input validation rules, and monitoring for suspicious user activity or unusual dashboard modifications. Security teams should conduct thorough reviews of existing dashboards and visualizations to identify potential injection points and ensure that user input is properly escaped before rendering. Additionally, implementing content security policies can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Organizations should also consider implementing regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in their web applications, particularly those that handle user-generated content or data visualization components. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and output encoding in web applications, reinforcing the need for comprehensive security practices throughout the software development lifecycle.