CVE-2017-14713 in epesi
Summary
by MITRE
In EPESI 1.8.2 rev20170830, there is Stored XSS in the Phonecalls Description parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2024
The vulnerability CVE-2017-14713 represents a stored cross-site scripting flaw discovered in EPESI version 1.8.2 revision 20170830, specifically affecting the Phonecalls Description parameter. This issue resides within a customer relationship management system that processes and stores user input without adequate sanitization, creating a persistent security risk that can affect multiple users who interact with the affected application. The vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79 which defines improper neutralization of input during web page generation, making it a classic stored XSS vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The affected parameter in the Phonecalls module demonstrates a failure in input validation and output encoding mechanisms, where user-supplied data is directly stored in the database and later rendered without proper HTML escaping or script sanitization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it provides attackers with a persistent foothold within the application environment. When legitimate users view phone call records containing malicious scripts, their browsers execute the injected code within the context of the EPESI application, potentially enabling attackers to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that once an attacker successfully injects malicious code, it remains active until manually removed from the database, creating a long-term threat vector that can be exploited by multiple users over extended periods. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on establishing persistence through the use of malicious scripts in web applications, and T1566 which covers social engineering tactics using malicious content delivery.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-14713 must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation that filters or escapes special characters including angle brackets, script tags, and event handlers before storing user data in the database. Output encoding should be enforced at the point of display, ensuring that any stored content is properly escaped when rendered in web pages to prevent script execution. The application should also implement Content Security Policy headers to add an additional layer of protection against script injection attacks. Regular security audits and automated scanning of web applications for XSS vulnerabilities should be conducted as part of the security operations framework, while developers should follow secure coding practices that emphasize the principle of least privilege and input sanitization. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing proper security controls in web-based applications to prevent attackers from establishing persistent access through common injection flaws.