CVE-2016-9454 in Adserver
Summary
by MITRE
Revive Adserver before 3.2.3 suffers from Persistent XSS. A vector for persistent XSS attacks via the Revive Adserver user interface exists, requiring a trusted (non-admin) account. The banner image URL for external banners wasn't properly escaped when displayed in most of the banner related pages.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-9454 affects Revive Adserver versions prior to 3.2.3 and represents a critical persistent cross-site scripting flaw that undermines the security posture of advertising platforms. This vulnerability resides within the user interface of the adserver system and specifically targets the handling of banner image URLs for external banners. The flaw allows attackers with access to a trusted non-administrative account to inject malicious scripts that persist across user sessions and page reloads, making it particularly dangerous for environments where multiple users interact with the adserver interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the banner management functionality of Revive Adserver. When external banner images are configured through the user interface, the system fails to properly sanitize or escape the URL parameters before rendering them in HTML contexts. This oversight creates an environment where malicious actors can craft specially formatted URLs containing embedded JavaScript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected banner pages. The vulnerability specifically impacts banner-related pages where the banner image URL is displayed, creating a persistent attack vector that remains active until the malicious content is manually removed or the system is updated.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations relying on Revive Adserver for advertising operations. Attackers with legitimate but non-administrator accounts can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code in the browsers of other users, potentially leading to session hijacking, data exfiltration, or redirection to malicious websites. The persistent nature of the vulnerability means that once exploited, the malicious scripts continue to execute whenever affected pages are loaded, creating ongoing exposure for all users who access the compromised banner management interfaces. This vulnerability directly violates security principles outlined in the OWASP Top Ten, specifically addressing the persistent XSS category that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web applications.
The exploitation of CVE-2016-9454 aligns with several ATT&CK framework techniques including T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for credential access through social engineering. Security practitioners should note that this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input sanitization and output escaping, principles that are fundamental to preventing XSS attacks as defined by CWE-79. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Revive Adserver version 3.2.3 or later, implementing web application firewalls, and conducting thorough security reviews of all user interface components that handle external data inputs. The vulnerability also underscores the critical need for least privilege access controls, as the attack requires only a trusted user account rather than administrative privileges, highlighting the importance of securing all user roles within web applications.