CVE-2017-20153 in imageserve
Summary
by MITRE • 12/30/2022
A vulnerability has been found in aerouk imageserve and classified as problematic. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality. The manipulation of the argument REQUEST_URI leads to cross site scripting. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The name of the patch is 2ac3cd4f90b4df66874fab171376ca26868604c4. It is recommended to apply a patch to fix this issue. The identifier VDB-217057 was assigned to this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-20153 represents a cross site scripting flaw in the aerouk imageserve application that poses significant security risks to affected systems. This vulnerability specifically targets the REQUEST_URI argument processing within the application's functionality, creating an attack vector that allows malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary script code in the context of a user's browser. The issue has been classified as a problematic vulnerability that affects an unknown but critical functionality within the software, indicating the potential for widespread impact across various operational environments where the application is deployed.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the REQUEST_URI parameter, which serves as the primary attack surface for cross site scripting attacks. When the application processes this parameter without proper sanitization or validation, it creates an environment where malicious input can be interpreted and executed as client-side script code. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category for cross site scripting, specifically representing a weakness in input validation where user-supplied data is directly incorporated into web page content without adequate sanitization measures. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can leverage this vulnerability through network-based attacks without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can potentially enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, manipulate application data, or redirect users to malicious websites. The disclosure of the exploit to the public community significantly increases the risk to affected organizations, as it provides adversaries with readily available tools and techniques to compromise systems. The assigned patch identifier 2ac3cd4f90b4df66874fab171376ca26868604c4 represents the specific fix that addresses the root cause of the vulnerability by implementing proper input validation and sanitization for the REQUEST_URI parameter. Organizations that have not yet applied this patch remain exposed to potential exploitation attempts, particularly in environments where the aerouk imageserve application is actively used for image processing and display functions.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate deployment of the provided patch to address the underlying input validation flaw in the application's REQUEST_URI handling mechanism. System administrators should also implement additional defensive measures such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious REQUEST_URI parameters, along with regular security monitoring to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification as publicly disclosed and exploitable means that organizations should prioritize remediation efforts, as the window for defensive action is limited. Security teams should also conduct thorough assessments to identify all instances of the affected application within their infrastructure and ensure that proper security controls are in place to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other application components. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in web applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for exploitation of web applications through cross site scripting attacks, emphasizing the need for comprehensive application security testing and vulnerability management programs.