CVE-2016-5660 in Civic
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in AttachmentsList.aspx in Accela Civic Platform Citizen Access portal allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the iframeid parameter.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/01/2024
The CVE-2016-5660 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Accela Civic Platform Citizen Access portal, specifically affecting the AttachmentsList.aspx component. This vulnerability resides in the web application's input validation mechanisms and provides remote attackers with the capability to execute malicious scripts within the context of authenticated user sessions. The flaw manifests through the iframeid parameter, which serves as an entry point for attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML code into the vulnerable application interface. The AttachmentsList.aspx page, designed to display attachment lists within the civic platform, fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input, creating an avenue for persistent script injection attacks that can compromise user sessions and potentially escalate to more severe security incidents.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in input validation where applications fail to properly escape or validate user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. This particular implementation flaw demonstrates a classic reflected XSS vulnerability pattern where attacker-controlled input flows directly into the application's output without adequate sanitization or encoding. The iframeid parameter represents a critical attack surface since it likely serves to identify or reference specific iframe elements within the application's user interface, making it a prime target for injection attacks. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects the Citizen Access portal, which typically handles sensitive civic data and user interactions, potentially exposing personal information and government services to unauthorized access.
Operational consequences of this vulnerability extend beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform session hijacking, steal user credentials, and manipulate the portal's functionality. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this weakness from any location without requiring physical access to the network or system infrastructure. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to access citizen data, modify attachment listings, or redirect users to malicious websites. The vulnerability's presence in a civic platform environment raises particular concerns regarding government data integrity and public trust, as attackers could potentially disrupt public services or gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions. The portal's citizen-facing nature makes it an attractive target for attackers seeking to exploit user trust and access to public records and services.
Security mitigations for CVE-2016-5660 should prioritize immediate input validation and output encoding implementations within the AttachmentsList.aspx component. The recommended approach involves implementing strict parameter validation for the iframeid input, including whitelisting acceptable values and applying proper HTML encoding to all user-supplied data before rendering in the application interface. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution and establish robust input sanitization routines that filter out potentially malicious characters and sequences. Additionally, the implementation of proper session management controls and regular security code reviews can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the civic platform. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of adhering to OWASP Top Ten security guidelines, particularly those addressing injection flaws and cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, which should be integrated into the development lifecycle through secure coding practices and comprehensive security testing protocols.