CVE-2017-17893 in Video Sharing Script
Summary
by MITRE
Readymade Video Sharing Script has XSS via the search_video.php search parameter, the viewsubs.php chnlid parameter, or the user-profile-edit.php fname parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/18/2019
The CVE-2017-17893 vulnerability affects the Readymade Video Sharing Script, a web-based platform for video content management and sharing. This vulnerability manifests as a cross-site scripting flaw that can be exploited through three distinct attack vectors within the application's parameter handling mechanisms. The vulnerability exists in the search_video.php script where the search parameter is not properly sanitized, in viewsubs.php where the chnlid parameter lacks adequate input validation, and in user-profile-edit.php where the fname parameter suffers from similar sanitization issues. These flaws collectively represent a significant security weakness that allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the application's response, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization practices within the application's core scripts. When users submit search queries through search_video.php or interact with channel viewing functionality via viewsubs.php, the application fails to properly escape or validate user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic web responses. Similarly, the user-profile-edit.php script does not adequately sanitize the fname parameter, allowing malicious input to persist in the application's database and subsequently execute in users' browsers. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 - Cross-site Scripting, which is classified as a critical weakness in web application security. The flaw represents a failure in the application's data flow management where user input transitions from untrusted sources to trusted execution contexts without proper sanitization.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-17893 extends beyond simple script execution, creating potential pathways for session hijacking, credential theft, and data manipulation within the video sharing platform. Attackers could craft malicious payloads that, when executed in victim browsers, would steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject additional malware into the application environment. The vulnerability affects the entire user base of the video sharing script, potentially compromising user profiles, channel information, and content management capabilities. Given that this is a persistent XSS vulnerability, the malicious scripts could remain active in the application's database and continuously affect users until properly patched. The impact aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 - Phishing, as attackers could use these vulnerabilities to deliver malicious payloads through compromised user interactions with the video sharing platform.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-17893 require immediate implementation of robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all vulnerable parameters. The primary remediation involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through proper encoding before incorporating it into dynamic web content, particularly using context-appropriate escaping mechanisms for html, javascript, and url contexts. Implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to prevent unauthorized script execution. Regular security code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in parameter handling across the entire application. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of input validation at multiple layers including client-side and server-side validation, as well as proper output encoding to prevent malicious code execution in web browsers. Organizations should implement automated security testing including dynamic application security testing and static code analysis to detect similar vulnerabilities in web applications. Additionally, maintaining updated security patches for the video sharing script and implementing proper access controls for user profile management can significantly reduce the attack surface and potential impact of such vulnerabilities.