CVE-2017-5528 in JasperReports Server
Summary
by MITRE
The JasperReports Server components listed above contain vulnerabilities which may allow authorized users to perform cross-site scripting (XSS) and cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks. The impact of this vulnerability includes the theoretical disclosure of sensitive information. Affects TIBCO JasperReports Server (versions 6.1.1 and below, 6.2.0, 6.2.1, and 6.3.0), TIBCO JasperReports Server Community Edition (versions 6.3.0 and below), TIBCO JasperReports Server for ActiveMatrix BPM (versions 6.2.0 and below), TIBCO Jaspersoft for AWS with Multi-Tenancy (versions 6.2.0 and below), and TIBCO Jaspersoft Reporting and Analytics for AWS (versions 6.2.0 and below).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/09/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5528 represents a critical security flaw affecting multiple iterations of TIBCO JasperReports Server products including community editions and specialized deployments for BPM and AWS environments. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web application components that process user-supplied data through various interface points. The affected systems process user inputs without proper sanitization, creating pathways for malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into the application's response handling mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability manifests through cross-site scripting and cross-site request forgery attack vectors that leverage the application's trust relationship with authenticated users. When authorized users interact with vulnerable endpoints, the system fails to properly validate or escape user-controllable parameters, allowing attackers to inject malicious javascript code or manipulate request sequences. This flaw specifically affects the server-side rendering components that handle user interface elements, report generation parameters, and administrative functions. The vulnerability exists primarily in the way the application processes and displays user input, particularly within form fields, URL parameters, and dynamic content generation mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-5528 extends beyond simple script execution to potentially enable unauthorized data access and privilege escalation within the compromised environment. While the vulnerability description mentions theoretical disclosure of sensitive information, in practice this could lead to session hijacking, data exfiltration, or unauthorized administrative actions depending on the victim's privilege level. The affected versions span multiple product lines including the standard server, community edition, BPM-specific deployments, and AWS-based implementations, indicating a widespread exposure across TIBCO's JasperReports ecosystem. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to establish persistent access or perform actions that would normally require administrative privileges.
Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in the context of CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and CWE-352 which covers cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities. The attack patterns align with ATT&CK techniques such as T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for credential access through social engineering. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected systems, implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and deployment of web application firewalls to monitor and filter malicious requests. Organizations should also enforce strict access controls and implement security headers including Content Security Policy to prevent script execution in vulnerable contexts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar flaws in other application components and ensure comprehensive protection against similar attack vectors.