CVE-2016-15025 in generator-hottowel
Summary
by MITRE • 02/20/2023
A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, was found in generator-hottowel 0.0.11. Affected is an unknown function of the file app/templates/src/server/_app.js of the component 404 Error Handler. The manipulation leads to cross site scripting. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. The name of the patch is c17092fd4103143a9ddab93c8983ace8bf174396. It is recommended to apply a patch to fix this issue. The identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-221484.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/23/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-15025 represents a cross site scripting flaw within the generator-hottowel framework version 0.0.11, specifically affecting the 404 Error Handler component. This issue resides in the app/templates/src/server/_app.js file where an unknown function processes error handling logic. The vulnerability classification as problematic indicates a significant security risk that requires immediate attention from system administrators and developers working with this framework. The flaw manifests when user input is not properly sanitized during the error handling process, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into web applications built using this scaffolding tool.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices within the error handling mechanism. When the 404 Error Handler processes requests that result in not found responses, the framework fails to properly escape or filter user-supplied data that may be incorporated into error messages or response content. This creates an environment where attackers can craft malicious payloads that execute within the context of a victim's browser when the error page is rendered. The vulnerability operates through the standard web application request-response cycle where malformed or crafted URLs trigger the error handler, which then incorporates unsanitized input into the rendered HTML output. The attack can be launched remotely without requiring any special privileges or local access to the system, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited from any location with internet connectivity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, potentially allowing attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, deface web applications, or redirect users to malicious sites. The remote exploitation capability means that threat actors can target applications using this framework without needing physical access to the server infrastructure. This vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of web applications built with the generator-hottowel framework, potentially compromising user data and system security. The vulnerability's presence in the error handling component is particularly concerning as error pages are often displayed to end users and may be indexed by search engines, amplifying the potential attack surface and impact.
Security professionals should prioritize applying the patch identified by the commit hash c17092fd4103143a9ddab93c8983ace8bf174396 to remediate this vulnerability. The patch likely implements proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms within the error handling code path. Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all applications built using generator-hottowel 0.0.11 and ensure the patch is applied across all affected systems. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and content security policies can provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 Cross Site Scripting category and maps to attack techniques in the ATT&CK framework under T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security measures to protect web applications from such client-side attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in preventing XSS attacks, particularly within error handling and logging components where user data may be inadvertently incorporated into application responses.