CVE-2018-15512 in Totemomail
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the 'Authorisation Service' feature of totemomail 6.0.0 build 570 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/11/2023
The CVE-2018-15512 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Authorisation Service component of totemomail version 6.0.0 build 570. This vulnerability resides in the web application's authentication and authorization handling mechanisms, specifically exposing the system to malicious script injection attacks that can compromise user sessions and data integrity. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the authorization service, creating an attack surface where untrusted data flows directly into web responses without proper sanitization. This flaw fundamentally undermines the security posture of the email system by allowing attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of authenticated users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, data exfiltration, or privilege escalation within the application's security boundaries.
The technical exploitation of this XSS vulnerability occurs when remote attackers can manipulate input fields or parameters within the authorization service functionality to inject malicious JavaScript code or HTML content. The vulnerability manifests when user-supplied data is processed and returned to the browser without adequate sanitization or encoding, enabling attackers to craft malicious payloads that execute in the context of legitimate user sessions. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-79 which defines Cross-site Scripting as a weakness where applications fail to properly validate or encode user input before incorporating it into dynamic web content. The attack vector specifically exploits the authorization service's failure to implement proper input sanitization, making it susceptible to both reflected and potentially stored XSS variants depending on how the vulnerable data is processed and stored within the application's backend systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, creating substantial risks for organizations relying on totemomail for email services. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, modify web page content, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users within the email system. The authorization service being compromised directly threatens the integrity of the entire authentication framework, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges or access restricted administrative functions. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for credential harvesting, as it enables attackers to establish persistent access and extract sensitive authentication information from user sessions. Organizations may experience unauthorized access to email accounts, potential data breaches, and compromise of email-based communication channels that rely on the integrity of the authorization service.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-15512 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the authorization service. Organizations must ensure that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being processed or displayed within web responses, implementing proper HTML encoding and context-appropriate escaping techniques. The recommended approach includes deploying Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, implementing proper input validation at multiple layers including client-side and server-side, and ensuring that all dynamic content generation follows secure coding practices. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing Web Application Firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit this vulnerability. The fix requires comprehensive code review and remediation of the authorization service component, with particular attention to areas where user input flows into HTML generation, ensuring that all data is properly escaped or validated before being rendered in browser contexts. Regular security testing and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other components of the email system and ensure complete remediation of the identified XSS vulnerability.