CVE-2018-0534 in ArsenoL
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability in ArsenoL Version 0.5 allows an attacker to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2020
The CVE-2018-0534 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in ArsenoL version 0.5, a web application framework that was designed to facilitate rapid development of web applications. This vulnerability falls under the category of input validation failures that can severely compromise user sessions and data integrity. The flaw exists within the application's handling of user-supplied input data, where proper sanitization and validation mechanisms are either absent or insufficient to prevent malicious script injection attempts. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the core framework functionality, potentially allowing attackers to execute malicious code within the context of other users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the framework's inadequate filtering of user input across unspecified vectors, which could include form fields, URL parameters, or any other data entry points within the application. The lack of comprehensive input sanitization means that attackers can craft malicious payloads that bypass security controls and are subsequently executed when other users interact with the vulnerable application. This type of vulnerability is classified as CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which directly maps to the fundamental principles of XSS attacks where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects the framework itself rather than individual applications built on top of it, meaning that any application utilizing this version of ArsenoL could be compromised.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability exposes organizations to significant risks including session hijacking, credential theft, and potential data breaches. Attackers could exploit this flaw to steal user cookies, redirect victims to malicious websites, or inject malicious content that could persist in the application's database. The attack surface extends beyond individual user sessions to potentially affect the entire application infrastructure, as the vulnerability exists at the framework level. This allows for more sophisticated attack vectors that could leverage the XSS vulnerability to perform further exploitation such as privilege escalation or lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell, as attackers could use the XSS to establish persistent access through malicious script execution. The impact on business operations includes potential regulatory compliance violations, reputational damage, and financial losses due to data compromise or service disruption.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding across all user-facing application components, applying the latest security patches from the framework vendor, and implementing proper content security policies. The recommended defensive measures include deploying web application firewalls, implementing proper input sanitization routines, and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, organizations should establish secure coding practices that emphasize proper data validation and sanitization, particularly for frameworks that handle user input. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining updated software versions and implementing comprehensive security monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning tools and regular penetration testing to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in the application architecture.