CVE-2017-20176 in share-on-diaspora
Summary
by MITRE • 02/06/2023
A vulnerability classified as problematic was found in ciubotaru share-on-diaspora 0.7.9. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the file new_window.php. The manipulation of the argument title/url leads to cross site scripting. The attack can be initiated remotely. The name of the patch is fb6fae2f8a9b146471450b5b0281046a17d1ac8d. It is recommended to apply a patch to fix this issue. The identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-220204.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-20176 represents a cross-site scripting vulnerability within the ciubotaru share-on-diaspora 0.7.9 software package. This flaw specifically resides in the new_window.php file and demonstrates a classic input validation weakness that allows malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into web applications. The vulnerability is categorized as problematic due to its potential to enable unauthorized code execution in the context of affected user browsers, making it a significant security concern for any system utilizing this software component.
The technical flaw manifests through improper sanitization of user-supplied input parameters, specifically the title and url arguments within the new_window.php file. When these parameters are processed without adequate validation or encoding, attackers can craft malicious payloads that exploit the application's failure to properly escape special characters. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is a fundamental web application security weakness that occurs when applications fail to properly validate or encode user input before rendering it in web pages. The attack vector is remotely exploitable, meaning that malicious actors can trigger this vulnerability through network-based interactions without requiring physical access to the target system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious websites. When an authenticated user visits a page containing the malicious payload, their browser executes the injected scripts with the privileges of their session, potentially allowing attackers to access sensitive data or perform unauthorized actions on behalf of the victim. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes social engineering attacks that can include phishing and spearphishing campaigns that leverage XSS vulnerabilities to compromise user sessions. The remote exploitability of this vulnerability means that it can be leveraged by attackers from anywhere on the internet, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible web applications.
Security mitigation for CVE-2017-20176 requires immediate application of the provided patch identified by the commit hash fb6fae2f8a9b146471450b5b0281046a17d1ac8d. This patch should be applied to all instances of the share-on-diaspora 0.7.9 software where the new_window.php file is utilized. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other parts of their web applications. The patch should be thoroughly tested in a staging environment before deployment to ensure compatibility and prevent unintended side effects. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify potential input validation gaps that could lead to similar cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, aligning with security best practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST Cybersecurity Framework guidelines for web application security.