CVE-2019-19040 in KairosDB
Summary
by MITRE
KairosDB through 1.2.2 has XSS in view.html because of showErrorMessage in js/graph.js, as demonstrated by view.html?q= with a '"sampling":{"value":"<script>' substring.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2024
The vulnerability CVE-2019-19040 represents a cross-site scripting flaw in KairosDB version 1.2.2 and earlier, specifically within the js/graph.js file where the showErrorMessage function fails to properly sanitize user input. This issue manifests in the view.html endpoint when processing query parameters containing malicious script payloads, making it a critical security concern for any system utilizing this time-series database platform. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices that allow attacker-controlled data to be executed as JavaScript within the context of a victim's browser session.
The technical exploitation occurs through the query parameter processing mechanism in the web interface, where the showErrorMessage function directly incorporates user-supplied data without proper sanitization or encoding. When an attacker crafts a malicious query string containing the substring '"sampling":{"value":"<script>', the application fails to escape or remove the script tags before rendering them in the HTML output. This allows the attacker to inject arbitrary JavaScript code that executes in the browser context of any user who views the affected page, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the victim's browser. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which describes Cross-Site Scripting flaws, specifically categorized as reflected XSS due to the script being reflected back to the user through the application's response.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including stealing user sessions, redirecting victims to phishing sites, or conducting more sophisticated attacks such as credential theft through browser-based attacks. Given that KairosDB is designed for monitoring and visualization of time-series data, an attacker could potentially manipulate the displayed graphs and metrics to mislead operators or gain unauthorized access to sensitive monitoring information. The vulnerability affects the web interface specifically, making it accessible to any user who can submit crafted queries to the application, which could include both legitimate users and attackers with access to the system.
Organizations utilizing KairosDB should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied data, particularly within the graph.js file and related JavaScript components. The recommended approach involves sanitizing all query parameters before processing and ensuring that any user-generated content is properly escaped before being rendered in HTML contexts. Security patches should be applied to update to versions of KairosDB that address this vulnerability, and organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced by limiting access to the web interface to authorized personnel only, and regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the monitoring infrastructure. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output encoding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213 which covers data from information repositories, emphasizing the need for proper protection of web application interfaces that handle user input.