CVE-2019-14747 in DWSurvey
Summary
by MITRE
DWSurvey through 2019-07-22 has stored XSS via the design/my-survey-design!copySurvey.action surveyName parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/21/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-14747 affects DWSurvey versions up to and including the 2019-07-22 release, representing a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within the survey management functionality. This vulnerability specifically manifests in the design/my-survey-design!copySurvey.action endpoint where the surveyName parameter is improperly sanitized, allowing malicious actors to inject persistent malicious scripts into the application's database. The flaw enables attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of victims' browsers when they view affected survey data, creating a persistent security risk that can affect multiple users over time.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices within the DWSurvey application's copy survey functionality. When users attempt to copy existing surveys, the surveyName parameter is directly processed and stored without proper sanitization of potentially malicious input. This stored data is then later rendered in the application's user interface without appropriate HTML escaping or context-aware encoding, creating the conditions for XSS exploitation. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and more precisely aligns with CWE-116 which deals with improper encoding or escaping of output. The attack vector operates through a stored XSS mechanism where malicious payloads are persisted server-side and executed whenever legitimate users access the affected survey data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains targeting authenticated users within the DWSurvey environment. Attackers can leverage this flaw to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of victims, redirect users to malicious sites, or even establish persistent backdoors within the application. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that once exploited, the malicious payload remains active until manually removed from the database, potentially affecting all users who access the compromised survey data. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1531 for credential access through web application attacks, T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage, and T1566 for credential access through social engineering. The impact is particularly severe in environments where DWSurvey is used for sensitive data collection, as attackers could potentially intercept responses to surveys containing confidential information.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-14747 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected DWSurvey versions to the latest releases that contain proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization measures that filter or escape special characters in survey names and other user-provided content before storage. Additionally, implementing proper output encoding for all dynamic content rendered in the application's user interface will prevent malicious scripts from executing even if they are somehow stored in the database. Network-based protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional layers of defense, though they should not be considered a substitute for proper application-level fixes. Security teams should conduct thorough code reviews focusing on input validation patterns and implement automated security testing procedures to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to ensure that similar stored XSS vulnerabilities are not present in other parts of the application's functionality.