CVE-2018-0642 in FV Flowplayer Video Player
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability in FV Flowplayer Video Player 6.1.2 to 6.6.4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/21/2020
The CVE-2018-0642 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the FV Flowplayer Video Player software version 6.1.2 through 6.6.4. This vulnerability falls under the category of web application security weaknesses that can be exploited by malicious actors to compromise user sessions and execute unauthorized code within the context of a victim's browser. The affected software is widely used for embedding video content on websites, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to exploit user trust and browser environments.
The technical flaw in this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the FV Flowplayer Video Player implementation. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that are injected into the video player's configuration parameters or embedded content. These payloads can contain arbitrary web scripts or HTML code that gets executed when legitimate users view pages containing the vulnerable player. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple entry points within the player's codebase may be susceptible to such injection attacks, including but not limited to video source URLs, playlist configurations, or player configuration parameters.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, manipulate video content, or redirect users to malicious websites. When users interact with compromised video players, their browsers execute the injected scripts, potentially leading to full compromise of user sessions and data theft. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited through legitimate video content distribution channels, making it difficult for users to distinguish between safe and malicious content. The attack surface is amplified by the widespread adoption of Flowplayer across various web platforms and applications.
Organizations and developers should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves updating to the latest version of FV Flowplayer where the XSS vulnerability has been patched and properly addressed. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms can help prevent similar issues in other applications. Security professionals should also consider deploying web application firewalls and content security policies to detect and block malicious script injections. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-site Scripting flaws, while the ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1211 - Exploitation for Defense Evasion and T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter, highlighting the potential for persistent threats and automated exploitation. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other components of the web application stack.