CVE-2016-8748 in NiFi
Summary
by MITRE
In Apache NiFi before 1.0.1 and 1.1.x before 1.1.1, there is a cross-site scripting vulnerability in connection details dialog when accessed by an authorized user. The user supplied text was not being properly handled when added to the DOM.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2020
Apache NiFi versions prior to 1.0.1 and 1.1.x versions before 1.1.1 contain a cross-site scripting vulnerability that affects the connection details dialog functionality. This vulnerability arises from improper handling of user-supplied text when the application adds content to the Document Object Model, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into the web interface. The flaw specifically impacts authorized users who have access to the connection details dialog, making it a server-side vulnerability that requires legitimate authentication credentials to exploit. This issue represents a classic XSS vulnerability where user input flows directly into DOM manipulation without proper sanitization or encoding mechanisms. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting as a weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web applications viewed by other users. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability could enable attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the victim's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, data exfiltration, or privilege escalation within the NiFi environment. The attack surface is limited to authenticated users who can access the connection details dialog, but this still represents a significant risk given that NiFi is often used for sensitive data processing and workflow automation. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers scripting languages and T1566 which covers credential access through social engineering. Organizations using affected versions of Apache NiFi should immediately implement the available patches to address this vulnerability. The fix involves proper sanitization of user input before rendering it in the DOM, ensuring that any potentially malicious content is neutralized through appropriate encoding or filtering mechanisms. Security practitioners should also consider implementing additional monitoring and logging around the connection details dialog functionality to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and output encoding in web applications, particularly in enterprise-grade systems like Apache NiFi that handle sensitive operational data. This issue underscores the critical need for regular security updates and the implementation of robust input sanitization practices across all web application components that process user-supplied data.