CVE-2017-5631 in CaseAware
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in KMCIS CaseAware. Reflected cross site scripting is present in the user parameter (i.e., "usr") that is transmitted in the login.php query string.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5631 represents a critical security flaw in KMCIS CaseAware software where reflected cross site scripting vulnerabilities exist within the login.php script. This issue specifically affects the user parameter designated as "usr" which is transmitted through the query string of the login page, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary scripts within the context of authenticated user sessions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices within the web application's authentication mechanism. When user-supplied data is directly incorporated into web page responses without proper sanitization or encoding, it creates an environment where attackers can craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that will execute in the victim's browser when the page is rendered. This reflected XSS vulnerability operates by tricking users into clicking malicious links that contain crafted script code within the usr parameter, which is then reflected back to the user's browser and executed as part of the normal page rendering process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal authentication tokens, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. Given that this affects the login page functionality, successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to user accounts, data theft, or complete compromise of the affected system. The vulnerability particularly impacts organizations using KMCIS CaseAware for case management and digital forensics, where sensitive data and evidence handling are critical components of their operations.
Security mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The most effective remediation involves sanitizing all user inputs, particularly those used in query parameters, through proper encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding before rendering any user-supplied content in web responses. Additionally, implementing proper Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against script execution. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices that should be addressed through comprehensive security testing and code review processes. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious query parameters to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in authentication systems and highlights the need for security awareness in developing robust web applications that handle sensitive user data.