CVE-2018-8728 in Kontena
Summary
by MITRE
server/app/views/static/code.html in Kontena before 1.5.0 allows XSS in "kontena master login --remote" code display, as demonstrated by /code#code= in a URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-8728 affects Kontena versions prior to 1.5.0 and represents a cross-site scripting flaw in the server-side code execution handling. This issue specifically manifests within the static code display functionality of the Kontena master login process, where user-provided code content is rendered without proper sanitization or encoding mechanisms. The vulnerability exists in the server/app/views/static/code.html file which processes and displays code snippets during remote master login operations, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the application's response.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the URI parameter containing the code content, specifically targeting the /code#code= endpoint. When a user accesses the master login functionality with a crafted URI containing malicious JavaScript within the code parameter, the application fails to properly escape or validate the input before rendering it in the HTML context. This allows attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of the victim's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or other malicious activities. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and output encoding practices that violate fundamental web security principles.
The operational impact of this cross-site scripting vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks within the Kontena container management platform. An attacker could potentially steal administrator credentials, manipulate the master login interface, or gain unauthorized access to containerized applications managed by the compromised Kontena instance. The vulnerability affects the core authentication and authorization mechanisms of the platform, potentially compromising the entire container orchestration environment. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can lead to complete compromise of the container management infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve immediate patching of Kontena instances to version 1.5.0 or later, where the security flaw has been addressed through proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation for all user-provided content, particularly in areas where dynamic content rendering occurs. The fix typically involves implementing proper HTML escaping or encoding of user-supplied data before rendering it in the browser context, following established security guidelines such as those outlined in CWE-79 for cross-site scripting prevention. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their container management platforms and implement security monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation in web applications and aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to initial access through web application vulnerabilities.