CVE-2018-0655 in GROWI
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability in GROWI v.3.1.11 and earlier allows remote authenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the app settings section of admin page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/21/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-0655 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within GROWI version 3.1.11 and earlier installations. This security weakness exists within the application's administrative interface, specifically in the app settings section where authenticated users can manipulate input fields. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it within the web application's interface. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data or system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation in a web application. This particular flaw operates through the administrative configuration panel where settings are saved and subsequently displayed to users. When an attacker with valid credentials accesses the app settings section, they can inject malicious JavaScript code or HTML payloads that persist in the application's configuration storage. The vulnerability is authenticated, meaning that attackers must first establish valid user credentials, but once achieved, they can manipulate the application's behavior and potentially escalate their privileges.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-0655 extends beyond simple script execution as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the application environment. Since the vulnerability affects the administrative interface, successful exploitation could allow attackers to modify application settings, add new users, or alter access controls. This presents a significant risk to organizations relying on GROWI for document management and collaboration, as the compromised administrative functionality could lead to complete system infiltration. The attack vector requires minimal privileges but maximum impact, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrative accounts are compromised or where attackers can obtain legitimate user credentials through social engineering or credential theft techniques.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of affected GROWI installations to version 3.1.12 or later, which contains the necessary input sanitization and output encoding fixes. Organizations should also implement additional security controls such as regular security audits of administrative interfaces, implementation of web application firewalls, and enforcement of strict input validation policies. The remediation process should include thorough testing of all user input fields within the application, particularly those used in administrative settings, to ensure that no similar vulnerabilities exist in other areas of the codebase. Security teams should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect suspicious activities in administrative sections of web applications, as this vulnerability could be exploited as part of broader attack campaigns targeting web application infrastructure. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and output encoding practices in web applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566.001 for credential access through social engineering.