CVE-2021-3879 in snipe-it
Summary
by MITRE • 10/19/2021
snipe-it is vulnerable to Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/23/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-3879 affects the snipe-it asset management platform, which is widely used for tracking and managing IT assets within organizations. This particular flaw represents a classic cross-site scripting vulnerability that arises from inadequate input sanitization during web page generation processes. The snipe-it application, designed to provide inventory management capabilities for IT assets, fails to properly neutralize user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content, creating an avenue for malicious code execution within the context of authenticated user sessions.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of user input within the application's web rendering pipeline. When users submit data through various input fields, forms, or parameters, the system does not adequately sanitize or escape these inputs before they are rendered in HTML output contexts. This failure allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that can execute in the browsers of other users who view the affected content. The vulnerability specifically manifests when user-provided data containing script tags or other malicious payloads is processed and displayed without proper encoding or filtering mechanisms.
The operational impact of this cross-site scripting vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can potentially hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, manipulate data within the application, or redirect users to malicious websites. Given that snipe-it is commonly used in enterprise environments for managing critical IT assets, the compromise of a single user session could provide unauthorized access to sensitive asset information, configuration details, and potentially escalate to broader system compromise. The vulnerability affects authenticated users, meaning that attackers would need valid credentials to exploit it, but once exploited, the impact can be significant.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The recommended approach involves applying proper HTML entity encoding to all user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages, implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, and establishing robust input validation routines that reject or sanitize potentially dangerous characters and patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing the principle of least privilege for user accounts and regularly updating their snipe-it installations to ensure they have the latest security patches. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a common technique used in the attack chain documented under the MITRE ATT&CK framework for web application exploitation. Regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing should be implemented to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across the application's attack surface.