CVE-2018-10571 in OpenEMR
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in OpenEMR before 5.0.1 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) patient parameter to interface/main/finder/finder_navigation.php; (2) key parameter to interface/billing/get_claim_file.php; (3) formid or (4) formseq parameter to interface/orders/types.php; (5) eraname, (6) paydate, (7) post_to_date, (8) deposit_date, (9) debug, or (10) InsId parameter to interface/billing/sl_eob_process.php; (11) form_source, (12) form_paydate, (13) form_deposit_date, (14) form_amount, (15) form_name, (16) form_pid, (17) form_encounter, (18) form_date, or (19) form_to_date parameter to interface/billing/sl_eob_search.php; (20) codetype or (21) search_term parameter to interface/de_identification_forms/find_code_popup.php; (22) search_term parameter to interface/de_identification_forms/find_drug_popup.php; (23) search_term parameter to interface/de_identification_forms/find_immunization_popup.php; (24) id parameter to interface/forms/CAMOS/view.php; (25) id parameter to interface/forms/reviewofs/view.php; or (26) list_id parameter to library/custom_template/personalize.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/08/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-10571 represents a critical security flaw in OpenEMR versions prior to 5.0.1, specifically targeting reflected cross-site scripting vulnerabilities across multiple endpoints within the healthcare management system. This vulnerability classifies under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize input data, creating pathways for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts in the context of affected users' browsers. The reflected XSS nature means that attack payloads are reflected off the web server back to the user's browser, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no persistent storage of malicious content.
Multiple attack vectors exist across various modules of the OpenEMR system, each presenting distinct opportunities for exploitation. The vulnerability manifests through parameters in several key files including finder_navigation.php, get_claim_file.php, types.php, sl_eob_process.php, sl_eob_search.php, find_code_popup.php, find_drug_popup.php, find_immunization_popup.php, view.php for CAMOS and reviewofs forms, and personalize.php for custom templates. These endpoints handle sensitive patient data and billing information, making them particularly attractive targets for attackers seeking to compromise healthcare records. The attack surface extends across patient management, billing processing, clinical forms, and de-identification functions, demonstrating the comprehensive nature of this vulnerability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious sites. In healthcare environments, where patient privacy is paramount, this vulnerability could enable attackers to access sensitive medical records, manipulate billing data, or disrupt critical healthcare operations. The reflected nature of the XSS means that attackers can craft malicious URLs that, when clicked by authenticated users, execute code in their browser context, potentially leading to full account compromise or data exfiltration. This vulnerability directly violates security principles outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1566 for social engineering through malicious content.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching to OpenEMR version 5.0.1 or later, which addresses these reflected XSS vulnerabilities through proper input sanitization and output encoding. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation across all user-supplied parameters, employing strict sanitization techniques that prevent script injection attempts. Web application firewalls should be configured to detect and block suspicious parameter patterns, while security headers including Content Security Policy should be implemented to reduce the impact of successful XSS attempts. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in custom extensions or modified code. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and input validation in healthcare applications, particularly given the sensitive nature of medical data and the regulatory requirements under HIPAA that mandate robust security controls for protected health information.