CVE-2019-11359 in I
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in display.php in I, Librarian 4.10 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the project parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/10/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2019-11359 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the I, Librarian 4.10 web application's display.php component. This security weakness specifically manifests when the application processes the project parameter without adequate input validation or output sanitization, creating an exploitable vector for remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and well-documented web application security flaws in the industry. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it allows threat actors to inject arbitrary web script or HTML code through the project parameter, potentially enabling session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input within the display.php script. When the application receives the project parameter through HTTP requests, it fails to properly validate or escape the input before rendering it in the web page output. This omission creates a direct path for attackers to inject malicious payloads that will execute in the browsers of unsuspecting users who visit the affected page. The vulnerability's classification as a reflected XSS attack means that the malicious script is reflected off the web server and executed in the victim's browser, making it particularly difficult to detect and mitigate through traditional network security measures. This type of attack aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which involves social engineering through spearphishing with a link, where the malicious link contains the XSS payload.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that compromise user sessions and potentially lead to full system compromise. An attacker could craft malicious project parameter values that, when clicked by a victim, would steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or inject malware delivery mechanisms. The vulnerability affects the application's authentication and authorization mechanisms by potentially allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate users within the I, Librarian system. Given that I, Librarian is designed for library management and information handling, the implications are particularly severe as it may expose sensitive bibliographic data, user information, or institutional resources. The attack requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely, making it an attractive target for threat actors seeking to exploit web application weaknesses.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-11359 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The most effective immediate fix involves sanitizing all user-supplied input, particularly the project parameter, through proper HTML escaping and validation techniques before rendering any content. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts and consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious parameter values. The remediation process should include thorough code review and input validation testing to ensure all parameters are properly sanitized, following secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Top Ten and ISO 27001 standards. Additionally, regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be implemented to identify similar weaknesses in other application components, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of consistent security controls across all input handling mechanisms within web applications.