CVE-2017-14755 in Document Sciences xPression
Summary
by MITRE
OpenText Document Sciences xPression (formerly EMC Document Sciences xPression) v4.5SP1 Patch 13 (older versions might be affected as well) is prone to Cross-Site Scripting: /xAdmin/html/XPressoDoc, parameter: categoryId.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/21/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14755 affects OpenText Document Sciences xPression version 4.5SP1 Patch 13 and potentially older versions, representing a critical cross-site scripting weakness that could enable unauthorized code execution within victim browsers. This flaw exists within the administrative interface component at the path /xAdmin/html/XPressoDoc where the categoryId parameter fails to properly sanitize user input, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject harmful scripts into the application's response. The vulnerability manifests when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing script code within the categoryId parameter and submits it through the affected web interface, allowing the application to render this unvalidated input directly to users without appropriate output encoding or validation measures.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the categoryId parameter in the XPressoDoc administrative endpoint, where the application processes user-supplied data without adequate sanitization or input validation mechanisms. This failure to properly validate and encode user input creates a persistent XSS vector that can be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of authenticated user sessions. The flaw specifically relates to CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a common web application vulnerability where user-controllable data is improperly handled and reflected back to users without proper security controls. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that this vulnerability exists within an administrative interface, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal administrative credentials, manipulate document workflows, or even gain unauthorized access to sensitive business documents and data within the OpenText Document Sciences xPression environment. When an authenticated administrator or authorized user accesses the vulnerable page with malicious input, the injected scripts execute within their browser context, potentially allowing attackers to perform actions as if they were the legitimate user. This could result in complete compromise of the document management system, data exfiltration, or unauthorized modification of document processing workflows. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers scripting through web shells, and T1566 which addresses social engineering via malicious web content.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-14755 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected OpenText Document Sciences xPression version to the latest available security updates from the vendor, as this represents the most effective defense against the vulnerability. Organizations should implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent user-supplied data from being executed as code within the application context. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers and using web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and limiting administrative access to trusted networks can reduce the potential impact if exploitation occurs, while regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities within the application's codebase. The remediation process should also include comprehensive user education regarding the risks of clicking suspicious links or visiting untrusted websites that could potentially host malicious payloads designed to exploit such vulnerabilities.