CVE-2019-20152 in TreasuryXpress
Summary
by MITRE
An XSS issue was discovered in TreasuryXpress 19191105. Due to the lack of filtering and sanitization of user input, malicious JavaScript can be executed throughout the application. A malicious payload can be injected within the Custom Workflow component and inserted via the Create New Workflow field. As a result, the payload is executed via the navigation bar throughout the application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/21/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-20152 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the TreasuryXpress application version 19191105. This security weakness stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly process user-supplied data before rendering it within the application interface. The vulnerability specifically affects the Custom Workflow component where user input is accepted through the Create New Workflow field without proper security controls. The absence of robust input filtering creates an environment where malicious actors can inject harmful JavaScript code that persists within the application's data handling processes. This flaw operates at the intersection of multiple security domains including web application security, input validation, and user interface sanitization.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a straightforward injection mechanism where attackers can craft malicious payloads that are subsequently executed when the application renders navigation elements. The payload injection takes place within the workflow creation process, specifically targeting the Custom Workflow component which serves as an entry point for the malicious code. Once injected, the JavaScript payload becomes active throughout the application's navigation bar, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of other users' sessions. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in web applications that allow attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with reflected XSS attacks where malicious scripts are executed in the victim's browser through the application's navigation components rather than through direct server response manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution to potentially enable full session hijacking and privilege escalation within the TreasuryXpress environment. Attackers can leverage the persistent nature of the XSS flaw to establish backdoors, steal session cookies, and perform actions on behalf of legitimate users with potentially elevated privileges. The navigation bar execution vector provides broad reach across the application's interface, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple functional areas of the system. This vulnerability can be exploited to create persistent malicious behavior that continues to impact users until the application is patched or the malicious payload is manually removed from the workflow configuration. The attack surface is amplified by the fact that the vulnerability affects core navigation elements that are accessed by all users within the application, potentially enabling mass impact scenarios.
Organizations utilizing TreasuryXpress version 19191105 should implement immediate mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The primary remediation approach involves implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms that sanitize all user-supplied data before processing or rendering. This includes applying proper HTML encoding to all dynamic content and implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns that may indicate XSS attack attempts. The vulnerability represents a critical risk that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 which involves exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications to gain unauthorized access and execute malicious code. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses throughout the application. Additionally, implementing proper security training for developers on secure coding practices and input sanitization techniques can prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future versions of the application.