CVE-2019-16686 in Dolibarr
Summary
by MITRE
Dolibarr 9.0.5 has stored XSS in a User Note section to note.php. A user with no privileges can inject script to attack the admin.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2019-16686 represents a stored cross-site scripting flaw within Dolibarr version 9.0.5, specifically affecting the User Notes section accessible through the note.php endpoint. This critical security weakness allows unauthenticated or low-privilege users to inject malicious scripts that persist within the application's database and execute whenever administrators or other users view the affected notes section. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the note handling functionality, creating a persistent threat vector that can be exploited by attackers without requiring elevated privileges.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of user notes fields where attackers can embed malicious javascript code within note content. When administrators or other users access the note.php page to view these notes, the stored scripts execute in their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further exploitation of the compromised user's privileges. This stored XSS variant differs from reflected XSS as the malicious payload is permanently stored on the server and delivered to victims upon page load rather than being transmitted through malicious links or requests.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it creates a persistent backdoor for attackers to compromise administrative accounts within the Dolibarr environment. Given that Dolibarr is commonly used for business management and ERP functionality, successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive financial data, user credentials, and business-critical information. The vulnerability affects the core user management and note-taking features, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged to gain unauthorized access to various system functions and data within the application's scope.
Organizations utilizing Dolibarr 9.0.5 should implement immediate mitigations including input sanitization of all user notes fields, output encoding of stored content, and regular security audits of the application's data handling processes. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script execution via web shells or stored XSS attacks. Security measures should include regular patching to upgrade to versions that address this vulnerability, implementation of web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, and user education regarding the risks of viewing untrusted note content from unknown sources. Additionally, access controls should be reviewed to ensure that only authorized users can view sensitive note content, and input validation should be strengthened to prevent script injection attempts in all user-facing data entry points.