CVE-2017-6538 in webpagetest
Summary
by MITRE
A Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) issue was discovered in webpagetest 3.0. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient filtration of user-supplied data (video) passed to the webpagetest-master/www/speedindex/index.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 • 09/05/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6538 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the webpagetest 3.0 application, specifically within the video processing functionality. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly filter user-supplied data before rendering it within the web application's response. The vulnerability manifests in the webpagetest-master/www/speedindex/index.php endpoint, which processes video-related parameters without sufficient security controls to prevent malicious code execution.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as cross-site scripting. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious video parameters that contain embedded HTML or JavaScript code, which then gets executed within the browser context of legitimate users interacting with the vulnerable application. The flaw occurs because the application does not adequately sanitize or escape user input before incorporating it into dynamic web page content, creating an environment where malicious scripts can run with the privileges of the affected website.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to manipulate user sessions, steal sensitive information, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the web application. When users view pages containing malicious video data, their browsers execute the injected code, which could lead to session hijacking, data theft, or redirection to malicious sites. This type of vulnerability particularly affects web applications that process user-generated content, making it a significant concern for any system handling multimedia uploads or video processing features.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-6538 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's data flow. The primary remediation involves sanitizing all user-supplied data, particularly video-related parameters, through proper escaping techniques before rendering them in web pages. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, employ proper input validation libraries, and ensure that all dynamic content generation follows secure coding practices. Additionally, regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in the application's codebase. The vulnerability also relates to ATT&CK technique T1059.001, which covers command and scripting interpreter, as attackers can leverage XSS to execute malicious scripts within the victim's browser environment.