CVE-2017-14716 in epesi
Summary
by MITRE
In EPESI 1.8.2 rev20170830, there is Stored XSS in the Tasks Title parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14716 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw discovered in EPESI version 1.8.2 revision 20170830. This vulnerability specifically affects the Tasks Title parameter within the web application's user interface, creating a persistent security risk that can be exploited by malicious actors to compromise user sessions and execute unauthorized code. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before it is stored in the application's database and subsequently rendered back to users. Stored XSS vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because the malicious payload is permanently stored on the server and executed whenever affected users view the compromised content, making the attack vector more persistent and difficult to detect compared to reflected XSS variants.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing JavaScript code and submits it through the Tasks Title parameter. The application fails to adequately filter or encode this input before storing it in the database, allowing the malicious script to be saved alongside legitimate data. When other users navigate to pages displaying the compromised task titles, their browsers execute the stored JavaScript code within their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is sent to a user's browser without proper validation or encoding, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which describes the exploitation of web applications through injection attacks targeting user-facing input fields.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-14716 extends beyond simple data corruption or display issues, as it can enable attackers to perform sophisticated attacks against the application's user base. Successful exploitation could allow threat actors to steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, inject malicious advertisements, or even establish persistent backdoors within the application environment. The vulnerability affects the integrity of the application's data handling processes and compromises user trust in the system's security controls. Organizations using EPESI 1.8.2 revision 20170830 are particularly at risk since this version likely lacks proper input sanitization mechanisms and output encoding practices that would prevent such attacks from succeeding. The attack surface is broadened by the fact that task titles are commonly viewed by multiple users within collaborative environments, amplifying the potential reach of a successful exploitation attempt.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-14716 must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging. The primary solution involves implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms that sanitize all user-supplied data before storage and rendering. This includes employing context-aware encoding techniques that properly escape HTML, JavaScript, and other potentially dangerous characters in user input. Organizations should deploy proper content security policies to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts and implement regular security testing including automated scanning and manual penetration testing of input fields. Additionally, the application should be upgraded to a patched version that includes proper input validation controls, and administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious payloads. The vulnerability underscores the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Top 10 and NIST guidelines, particularly focusing on input validation and output encoding as fundamental defensive measures against XSS attacks. Regular security awareness training for developers and system administrators is essential to prevent similar issues in future application development cycles.