CVE-2017-5247 in Secure File Transfer
Summary
by MITRE
Biscom Secure File Transfer is vulnerable to cross-site scripting in the Package Name field. An authenticated user with permissions to upload or send files can populate this field with a filename that contains standard HTML scripting tags. The resulting script will evaluated by any other authenticated user who views the attacker-supplied file name.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5247 affects Biscom Secure File Transfer systems and represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw that undermines the security of file transfer operations. This weakness resides in the Package Name field processing mechanism where the application fails to properly sanitize user input before displaying it to other authenticated users. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authenticated access to exploit, meaning that attackers who have legitimate user credentials can leverage this flaw to compromise other users within the same system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the Biscom platform. When an authenticated user uploads or sends files, they can manipulate the Package Name field to include malicious HTML script tags such as <script> or other XSS payload constructs. The system stores this user-supplied data without adequate sanitization and subsequently renders it in web interfaces where other authenticated users can view the package information. This creates an environment where any user who accesses the file listing or package details page becomes vulnerable to script execution.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of other authenticated users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions within the file transfer system. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be executed through legitimate file transfer operations, making it difficult to distinguish between malicious and benign activities. The vulnerability affects all authenticated users who can view package information, creating a wide attack surface that extends beyond the initial compromised user account.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The attack pattern follows typical XSS exploitation methods where an attacker places malicious code in a field that is later displayed to other users without proper sanitization. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving client-side code execution and credential access through compromised user sessions. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation, output encoding, and content security policies to prevent such vulnerabilities. The recommended mitigations include implementing strict sanitization of all user inputs, particularly those that are rendered in web interfaces, and enforcing proper output encoding mechanisms that prevent script execution in user-facing components. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their file transfer systems to identify similar input validation weaknesses that could enable similar attack vectors.