CVE-2017-15030 in OX App Suite
Summary
by MITRE
Open-Xchange GmbH OX App Suite 7.8.4 and earlier is affected by: Cross Site Scripting (XSS).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15030 represents a critical cross site scripting flaw within the Open-Xchange GmbH OX App Suite version 7.8.4 and earlier releases. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross Site Scripting, which is classified as a weakness in web applications that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The OX App Suite is a comprehensive email and collaboration platform that serves enterprise environments, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations relying on its services. The vulnerability specifically affects the application's handling of user input within the web interface, where insufficient validation and sanitization of data allows malicious payloads to persist and execute in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical exploitation of this XSS vulnerability occurs when an attacker can inject malicious JavaScript code through input fields or parameters that are not properly sanitized before being rendered to end users. In the context of OX App Suite, this typically manifests when user-controllable data is displayed in web interfaces without appropriate HTML encoding or output filtering mechanisms. The vulnerability could be exploited through various vectors including email content, calendar entries, contact information, or any user-generated content that gets processed and displayed within the application's web interface. Attackers could craft malicious input that when processed by the application and subsequently viewed by other users, would execute arbitrary JavaScript code in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the victim's browser environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent access to user sessions and compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. When exploited successfully, the XSS vulnerability allows attackers to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of users, access sensitive information, and potentially escalate privileges within the application. This vulnerability particularly threatens enterprise environments where OX App Suite serves as a central collaboration platform, as compromised user sessions could provide access to confidential business communications, personal data, and organizational resources. The impact is amplified by the fact that the vulnerability affects the core application functionality, meaning that any user with access to the platform could potentially be targeted, and the attack surface includes all user-generated content processing within the application.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies to protect their systems and users from exploitation. The primary mitigation involves updating to the patched version of OX App Suite that addresses the XSS vulnerability, as provided by Open-Xchange GmbH. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future. Security measures should include comprehensive HTML encoding of all user-supplied content before rendering it in web pages, implementing content security policies to restrict script execution, and conducting regular security testing including automated scanning and manual penetration testing. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious activities that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in web applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1203 for legitimate credential exposure and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage, which are common exploitation patterns associated with XSS vulnerabilities.