CVE-2019-16175 in LimeSurvey
Summary
by MITRE
A clickjacking vulnerability was found in Limesurvey before 3.17.14.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/18/2023
The clickjacking vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-16175 affects Limesurvey versions prior to 3.17.14, representing a significant security flaw that compromises user interaction integrity. This vulnerability allows attackers to deceive users into performing unintended actions by overlaying malicious content on legitimate web pages, creating a deceptive user experience that can lead to unauthorized operations within the survey platform.
The technical flaw stems from the absence of proper clickjacking protection mechanisms within the Limesurvey application interface. When users navigate to vulnerable survey pages, attackers can embed the legitimate survey interface within an invisible or transparent iframe on a malicious website. This allows the attacker to capture user interactions and potentially manipulate survey responses, data collection processes, or administrative functions without users being aware of the deception. The vulnerability specifically impacts the user-facing components of the application where interactive elements such as form submissions, navigation controls, and response inputs are processed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation to potentially compromise the integrity of entire survey campaigns and user data. Attackers could exploit this flaw to collect unauthorized survey responses, manipulate survey results, or gain access to sensitive information within the survey platform. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on Limesurvey for critical data collection processes, as it could lead to compromised research data, altered survey outcomes, or unauthorized administrative access to survey management functions. Organizations using older versions of Limesurvey may unknowingly expose their data collection efforts to manipulation by adversaries who can leverage this vulnerability to conduct targeted attacks against specific survey instances.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which categorizes clickjacking as a security weakness involving insufficient protection against user interface manipulation. This classification reflects the fundamental flaw in the application's security architecture where defensive measures against overlay attacks are absent or inadequate. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the ATT&CK technique T1059.001, which involves user execution through malicious file delivery, and T1566.001, representing spearphishing with a malicious attachment, as attackers can craft deceptive web pages that exploit this clickjacking vulnerability. The security implications also connect to the broader category of web application vulnerabilities that compromise user trust and application integrity.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate upgrade to Limesurvey version 3.17.14 or later, which includes the necessary security patches to prevent clickjacking attacks. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers with frame-ancestors directives to prevent their applications from being embedded in unauthorized iframes. Additionally, developers should consider implementing X-Frame-Options headers and utilizing modern frame-busting techniques to provide multiple layers of protection. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in custom extensions or modifications to the Limesurvey platform. System administrators should also monitor for suspicious user activities and survey response patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while maintaining comprehensive logging of administrative actions to detect potential unauthorized access or manipulation of survey data.