CVE-2018-8716 in Identity Server
Summary
by MITRE
WSO2 Identity Server before 5.5.0 has XSS via the dashboard, allowing attacks by low-privileged attackers.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/15/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-8716 affects WSO2 Identity Server versions prior to 5.5.0, specifically targeting the dashboard component with a cross-site scripting flaw that enables low-privileged attackers to execute malicious code within the context of the victim's browser. This vulnerability resides within the web application's user interface and represents a critical security weakness that undermines the integrity of the authentication and authorization services provided by the identity server. The flaw allows attackers with minimal privileges to inject malicious scripts into the dashboard interface, potentially compromising user sessions and accessing sensitive information.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the dashboard's rendering mechanisms. When the WSO2 Identity Server processes user inputs through its web interface, particularly in dashboard components, the application fails to properly sanitize or encode data before displaying it to users. This lack of proper sanitization creates an opening for attackers to inject malicious javascript code that executes in the context of authenticated users' browsers. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the application displays user-supplied data without appropriate security measures, allowing the execution of arbitrary code through crafted payloads that exploit the XSS weakness.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-8716 extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to leverage the compromised dashboard to perform various malicious activities within the WSO2 Identity Server environment. Low-privileged attackers can exploit this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, modify dashboard content, or potentially escalate their privileges within the system. The vulnerability's exploitation can lead to unauthorized access to user accounts, data exfiltration, and disruption of identity management services that organizations rely upon for secure authentication. This weakness particularly affects organizations that depend on WSO2 Identity Server for managing user identities and access control, as it undermines the trust model that the system is designed to maintain.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates released for WSO2 Identity Server 5.5.0 and later versions. Additionally, implementing proper input validation mechanisms, output encoding, and content security policies can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which identifies cross-site scripting flaws as a fundamental weakness in web application security. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for credential access through social engineering, as attackers can leverage the compromised dashboard to gain unauthorized access to user credentials and system resources. Security teams should conduct comprehensive assessments of their WSO2 Identity Server deployments to identify any instances of vulnerable versions and ensure that all dashboard components properly sanitize user inputs to prevent similar cross-site scripting vulnerabilities.