CVE-2017-5964 in EmonCMS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Emoncms through 9.8.0. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient filtration of user-supplied data in multiple HTTP GET parameters passed to the "emoncms-master/Modules/vis/visualisations/compare.php" URL. An attacker could execute arbitrary HTML and script code in a browser in the context of the vulnerable website.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5964 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Emoncms web application version 9.8.0 and earlier. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly filter user-supplied data passed through HTTP GET parameters. The affected component is located at the specific path emoncms-master/Modules/vis/visualisations/compare.php, which serves as a visualization module for comparing different data sets within the monitoring platform. The flaw allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary HTML and script code through carefully crafted URL parameters, potentially compromising the integrity of the web application and the security of its users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of HTTP GET parameters that are directly processed by the compare.php script without proper sanitization. When a user accesses the vulnerable endpoint with maliciously crafted parameters, the application fails to validate or escape the input data before rendering it within the web page context. This creates an environment where attacker-controlled content can be executed in the browser of any user who visits the compromised page, effectively enabling a persistent cross-site scripting attack. The vulnerability specifically falls under CWE-79 which categorizes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as cross-site scripting. This weakness allows attackers to bypass the same origin policy that normally protects web browsers from malicious scripts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, deface the web application, steal sensitive user information, or redirect users to malicious websites. Since Emoncms is typically used for energy monitoring and data visualization, compromised systems could lead to unauthorized access to critical infrastructure data, potentially affecting energy management decisions and operational security. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires no special privileges or authentication to exploit, making it accessible to any internet user who can craft malicious URLs. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which describes the use of script-based commands and T1566.001 which covers the exploitation of web applications through malicious input.
Organizations utilizing Emoncms should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied data, particularly within web applications. The recommended approach involves implementing strict parameter validation that rejects or sanitizes any input containing potentially dangerous characters or script tags. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Regular security updates and patches should be applied immediately upon availability, as this vulnerability has been addressed in subsequent releases of the Emoncms platform. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious parameter patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts, while conducting thorough security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of their web infrastructure.