CVE-2018-15494 in Dojo Toolkit
Summary
by MITRE
In Dojo Toolkit before 1.14, there is unescaped string injection in dojox/Grid/DataGrid.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/02/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2018-15494 affects the Dojo Toolkit version 1.14 and earlier, specifically within the dojox/Grid/DataGrid component where unescaped string injection occurs. This represents a critical security flaw that allows attackers to inject malicious content into grid data rendering processes. The Dojo Toolkit is a widely used JavaScript framework for building rich internet applications, and its components are extensively deployed across enterprise applications and web platforms. The vulnerability exists in the data grid rendering mechanism where user-supplied data is not properly sanitized before being processed and displayed in grid tables. This creates an opportunity for attackers to inject arbitrary JavaScript code or HTML content that gets executed within the browser context of users viewing the affected grid components. The flaw is categorized under CWE-79 which represents Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities, specifically in the context of unescaped output in web applications. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious input data that contains script tags or other malicious payloads, which then get rendered into the grid without proper escaping mechanisms. When users interact with the affected grid, their browsers execute the injected code, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the victim's browser environment. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1203 which involves exploiting web applications to gain unauthorized access, and T1059 which covers the execution of malicious code through scripting languages. The impact extends beyond simple XSS as it can enable more sophisticated attacks including credential theft, privilege escalation, and data exfiltration from authenticated sessions. Organizations using Dojo Toolkit versions prior to 1.14 should immediately assess their applications for exposure to this vulnerability, particularly those handling user input in grid components. The vulnerability affects both client-side rendering and server-side data processing within the grid framework. The unescaped string injection occurs during the data processing pipeline where raw input values are directly passed to rendering functions without proper HTML entity encoding or script sanitization. This flaw is particularly dangerous in environments where users can submit data that gets displayed in grids, such as admin panels, reporting dashboards, or user management interfaces. The exploitation requires minimal privileges as attackers only need to inject malicious data into grid inputs, making it accessible to various threat actors including low-privilege users. Organizations should implement input validation, output encoding, and regular security updates as mitigation strategies, while also considering the broader implications of using legacy frameworks in modern security environments. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input sanitization in web frameworks and highlights how seemingly minor flaws in component libraries can create significant security risks across entire application ecosystems.