CVE-2017-16568 in Media Server
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Logitech Media Server 7.9.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a radio URL.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/05/2025
The Cross-site scripting vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-16568 affects the Logitech Media Server version 7.9.0, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected user sessions. This vulnerability resides in the server's handling of radio URL parameters, where insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before it is processed and rendered within web interfaces. The flaw specifically manifests when the server accepts radio station URLs through user input without adequate sanitization, creating an avenue for attackers to inject malicious payloads that can be executed in the browsers of other users who access the affected system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as cross-site scripting. This weakness allows attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability operates at the application layer where user-provided radio URL data is directly incorporated into HTML responses without proper context-aware encoding or validation. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious URL parameters that contain script tags or other HTML elements, which then get executed when legitimate users browse to pages that display these unvalidated URLs.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform various malicious activities within the scope of user sessions. An attacker could potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, deface web interfaces, or even execute more sophisticated attacks such as CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) attacks that leverage the trusted relationship between the vulnerable server and its users. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require physical access to the network or system, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that expose their media servers to external networks. This vulnerability particularly affects users who access the Logitech Media Server through web interfaces, as the XSS occurs during the rendering of web content that displays the radio URL information.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, beginning with immediate patching of affected systems to the latest versions of Logitech Media Server that contain proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The mitigation strategy should include implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection, as well as deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script patterns. Additionally, administrators should enforce strict input validation on all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in URL construction, and implement proper output encoding for any data that gets rendered in web contexts. The solution should also incorporate regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the media server infrastructure, following ATT&CK framework tactics that emphasize the importance of preventing and detecting XSS attacks through defensive measures like input sanitization, output encoding, and security monitoring.