CVE-2017-16810 in Octopus
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the All Variables tab in Octopus Deploy 3.4.0-3.13.6 (fixed in 3.13.7) allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the Variable Set Name parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2023
The CVE-2017-16810 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in Octopus Deploy versions ranging from 3.4.0 through 3.13.6. This vulnerability specifically affects the All Variables tab functionality within the deployment automation platform, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this tool for their continuous integration and deployment processes. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly handle user-supplied data within the Variable Set Name parameter, which is processed within the web interface.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers can inject malicious web scripts or HTML content through the Variable Set Name parameter field. This occurs because the application does not adequately sanitize or escape user input before rendering it within the web page context, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability specifically targets the All Variables tab interface where variable sets are managed, making it particularly dangerous as it could affect users with varying privilege levels who interact with deployment variables. The flaw falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a common web application vulnerability that enables attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges, access sensitive deployment configurations, and potentially compromise entire deployment pipelines. Organizations using affected Octopus Deploy versions face significant risk of unauthorized access to deployment variables that may contain sensitive information such as database credentials, API keys, or other confidential deployment parameters. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to perform session hijacking attacks, redirect users to malicious sites, or execute malicious scripts that could compromise the integrity of the deployment environment. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can undermine the security posture of DevOps environments where deployment automation tools are central to operations.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2017-16810 involves immediate upgrading to Octopus Deploy version 3.13.7 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures such as content security policies, regular security scanning of web applications, and monitoring for suspicious parameter values in web application logs. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their deployment environments to identify any other potentially affected components, as this vulnerability may indicate broader security gaps in the organization's DevOps toolchain. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059.007 technique for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript," highlighting the potential for attackers to leverage such vulnerabilities to execute malicious JavaScript code against users within the application context. Regular security training for DevOps teams regarding secure coding practices and input validation should also be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities in custom scripts or extensions that may interact with the deployment platform.