CVE-2017-1000146 in Mahara
Summary
by MITRE
Mahara 1.9 before 1.9.7 and 1.10 before 1.10.5 and 15.04 before 15.04.2 are vulnerable to the arbitrary execution of Javascript in the browser of a logged-in user because the title of the portfolio page was not being properly escaped in the AJAX script that updates the Add/remove watchlist link on artefact detail pages.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/04/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1000146 affects Mahara versions prior to 1.9.7, 1.10.5, and 15.04.2, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that exploits improper input sanitization in the portfolio page title handling mechanism. This vulnerability specifically manifests when a logged-in user interacts with artefact detail pages where the AJAX script responsible for updating watchlist links fails to properly escape the portfolio page title content, creating an avenue for malicious JavaScript execution within the victim's browser context. The flaw stems from inadequate output encoding practices that allow attacker-controlled data to bypass security controls and be interpreted as executable code rather than benign text content.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of portfolio page titles that are subsequently processed by an AJAX update mechanism without proper HTML escaping or sanitization. When a malicious user creates or modifies a portfolio page with specially crafted title content containing JavaScript code, this content gets embedded into the dynamic AJAX response that updates the watchlist functionality. The browser renders this unescaped content as executable JavaScript rather than static text, enabling remote code execution within the context of the victim's authenticated session. This represents a classic cross-site scripting vulnerability that aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the browser of authenticated users, potentially enabling session hijacking, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the Mahara application. An attacker could leverage this flaw to steal user credentials, modify portfolio content, access sensitive information, or perform actions on behalf of the victim. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only a logged-in user session to exploit, making it accessible through social engineering or by compromising user accounts through other means. The attack vector specifically targets the AJAX update functionality that dynamically modifies watchlist links, suggesting that the vulnerability exists in the client-side response handling rather than server-side processing, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213 for credential access through web application vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-1000146 involve immediate patching of affected Mahara installations to versions 1.9.7, 1.10.5, or 15.04.2 that contain proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding practices throughout their web applications, ensuring that all user-provided content is properly escaped before being rendered in browser contexts. The fix should include implementing proper HTML escaping in the AJAX response handling to prevent malicious JavaScript from being executed in the user's browser. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security reviews of their web application code to identify similar output encoding vulnerabilities, particularly in AJAX and dynamic content update mechanisms, following secure coding practices that align with OWASP Top Ten recommendations and industry standards for preventing cross-site scripting attacks.