CVE-2017-15640 in phpipam
Summary
by MITRE
app/sections/user-menu.php in phpIPAM before 1.3.1 has XSS via the ip parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15640 represents a cross-site scripting flaw located within the user-menu.php file of the phpIPAM application. This issue affects versions prior to 1.3.1 and specifically targets the ip parameter handling within the application's user interface components. The vulnerability resides in the application's input validation mechanisms, where user-supplied data is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to the browser. This flaw allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute within the context of other users' browsers, potentially compromising their sessions and accessing sensitive information.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient output encoding and input validation practices within the phpIPAM codebase. When the ip parameter is processed through the user-menu.php script, the application fails to properly escape or filter user-provided input before incorporating it into dynamic HTML content. This creates an opportunity for attackers to craft malicious payloads that exploit the lack of proper sanitization, particularly when the parameter value is displayed within the user interface elements. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting as a weakness where applications fail to properly validate or encode user-controllable data before incorporating it into dynamically generated content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, steal authentication tokens, or manipulate user interface elements to deceive victims into performing unintended actions. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to inject malicious JavaScript that could redirect users to phishing sites, harvest cookies, or even modify the application's behavior for authenticated users. The exploitation typically requires a user to click on a malicious link containing the crafted ip parameter, making it a server-side request forgery vulnerability that relies on user interaction to achieve its full impact. This weakness contributes to the broader ATT&CK technique of Web Application Attack Surface Management by creating an entry point that can be used to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within the application environment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-15640 involve implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the phpIPAM application. The most effective solution requires updating to version 1.3.1 or later, where the developers have addressed the vulnerability through proper parameter sanitization and input validation. Organizations should also implement comprehensive output encoding for all user-controllable data, particularly when rendering parameters within HTML contexts. Additional protective measures include deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious payloads, implementing content security policies to restrict script execution, and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in the application's codebase. The fix typically involves sanitizing the ip parameter through proper encoding functions before rendering it within the user interface, ensuring that any potentially malicious script tags are neutralized before being executed in the user's browser.