CVE-2016-10707 in jQuery
Summary
by MITRE
jQuery before 3.0.0 is vulnerable to Denial of Service (DoS) due to removing a logic that lowercased attribute names. Any attribute getter using a mixed-cased name for boolean attributes goes into an infinite recursion, exceeding the stack call limit.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10707 affects jQuery versions prior to 3.0.0 and represents a critical denial of service condition stemming from a regression in attribute handling logic. This flaw emerged from the removal of a crucial normalization mechanism that previously converted attribute names to lowercase during processing. The issue specifically impacts boolean attributes that are accessed using mixed-case naming conventions, creating a scenario where the JavaScript engine encounters infinite recursion during attribute retrieval operations. The vulnerability manifests when jQuery attempts to process boolean attributes with uppercase or mixed-case characters in their names, leading to a stack overflow condition that ultimately crashes the application or renders it unresponsive.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of attribute name normalization within jQuery's attribute getter methods. Prior to version 3.0.0, jQuery implemented a defensive mechanism that automatically converted all attribute names to lowercase to ensure consistent processing across different browsers and DOM implementations. When this normalization logic was removed during the development process, it created a gap in the attribute handling code that allowed mixed-case attribute names to bypass proper validation. The flaw specifically affects boolean attributes such as disabled, checked, selected, and similar elements where the attribute names are case-sensitive during retrieval operations. When a developer attempts to access such attributes using mixed-case names, the internal jQuery code enters an infinite loop where it repeatedly calls itself without proper termination conditions, eventually exhausting the available call stack space.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes to encompass broader security implications for web applications that rely on jQuery for dynamic content manipulation. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious HTML content or manipulating DOM elements with mixed-case boolean attributes, potentially causing service disruption for legitimate users. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where user input is processed through jQuery without proper sanitization, as it allows for remote code execution through denial of service attacks that can be triggered by simple HTML injection. This type of attack can be particularly effective in web applications that dynamically generate content or process user-provided data through jQuery selectors, creating a vector for resource exhaustion attacks that can impact server performance and availability.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-691, which specifically addresses inadequate control of a resource through a mechanism that allows the resource to be consumed without proper limits or checks. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks and T1059.001 which involves command and scripting interpreter execution. The flaw demonstrates how seemingly minor code changes can introduce significant security risks, particularly when they affect core library functionality that is extensively used across the web. Organizations using vulnerable jQuery versions face the risk of being targeted by automated scanning tools that specifically look for this type of stack overflow vulnerability, making it an attractive target for botnet-driven denial of service campaigns.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action to upgrade to jQuery version 3.0.0 or later, where the attribute handling logic has been properly restored and normalized. Security teams should implement comprehensive testing procedures to identify all instances where mixed-case attribute names might be used in their applications, particularly in dynamic content generation and user input processing. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing input validation and sanitization measures that prevent the introduction of malformed HTML attributes into their applications. The fix implemented in jQuery 3.0.0 includes robust attribute name normalization that ensures consistent processing regardless of case sensitivity, effectively eliminating the recursion path that led to the stack overflow condition. Regular security audits and dependency monitoring should be implemented to prevent similar regressions from occurring in other critical libraries and to maintain overall application security posture.