CVE-2019-7296 in typora
Summary
by MITRE
typora through 0.9.64 has XSS, with resultant remote command execution, during inline rendering of a mathematical formula.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-7296 represents a critical security flaw in the typora markdown editor version 0.9.64 and earlier. This vulnerability stems from improper input validation and sanitization during the inline rendering process of mathematical formulas, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary commands on affected systems. The issue manifests specifically when typora processes mathematical expressions that contain crafted malicious code within their inline rendering context, allowing attackers to leverage cross-site scripting techniques to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized system access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input during mathematical formula processing. When typora encounters mathematical expressions containing potentially malicious content, the application's rendering engine does not adequately filter or escape special characters that could be interpreted as executable code. This weakness enables attackers to inject malicious JavaScript or other command sequences that execute within the application's context, effectively bypassing standard security boundaries. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of multiple security domains, combining elements of client-side code execution with potential privilege escalation mechanisms, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users might process untrusted content.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-7296 extends beyond simple cross-site scripting, as it creates a potential remote code execution vector that could allow attackers to compromise entire systems. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the affected user, potentially leading to data theft, system compromise, or further lateral movement within network environments. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects a widely used document editing application that many users trust for processing sensitive information, making it an attractive target for targeted attacks. The inline rendering of mathematical formulas represents a common user interaction pattern that is difficult to monitor and validate effectively, creating a persistent security risk.
Organizations and users should immediately update to typora version 0.9.65 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and validation mechanisms to address this vulnerability. System administrators should also implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and consider restricting user access to mathematical formula input when possible. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a variant of the broader ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, demonstrating how seemingly benign application features can be weaponized for system compromise. Additionally, this vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation in all application components, particularly those handling user-generated content, and serves as a reminder of the critical need for comprehensive security testing during application development cycles.