CVE-2017-5864 in OX App Suite
Summary
by MITRE
Open-Xchange GmbH OX App Suite 7.8.3 and earlier is affected by: Cross Site Scripting (XSS).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5864 affects Open-Xchange GmbH OX App Suite version 7.8.3 and earlier, representing a critical cross site scripting flaw that exposes users to potential security risks. This vulnerability resides within the web application interface of the email and collaboration platform, which is widely used in enterprise environments for business communication and data management. The affected system processes user input without proper sanitization, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. This particular vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the input validation and output encoding mechanisms implemented within the application's user interface components.
The technical nature of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user-supplied data within the OX App Suite web application. When users interact with the platform through web browsers, their input is processed and rendered without adequate sanitization of potentially malicious content. This flaw allows attackers to inject script code into web pages that are subsequently executed by other users who view those pages. The vulnerability can manifest in multiple contexts including email content, calendar entries, contact information, and other user-generated content fields within the application. Attackers can exploit this weakness to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the victim's browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized access to sensitive data.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-5864 extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with opportunities to escalate privileges and compromise entire user sessions. When exploited, this vulnerability can enable attackers to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, or modify application functionality from within the victim's browser context. The implications are particularly severe in enterprise environments where OX App Suite serves as a central communication platform for business operations, as successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to confidential business communications, calendar data, contact information, and email archives. The vulnerability affects the integrity of the application's user interface and can potentially be leveraged to perform privilege escalation attacks, especially when combined with other exploitation techniques.
Organizations utilizing OX App Suite versions prior to 7.8.4 should prioritize immediate remediation through official patches provided by Open-Xchange GmbH, as this vulnerability has been classified with a high severity rating. The recommended mitigation strategy involves applying the vendor-provided security updates that implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent script injection. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to add defense-in-depth measures. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments of their email and collaboration environments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and monitor for suspicious activities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a classic example of how inadequate input validation can compromise web application security. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the initial access and persistence phases, where attackers can establish footholds through user interaction with malicious content, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios.