CVE-2021-40969 in spotweb
Summary
by MITRE • 10/02/2021
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in templates/installer/step-004.inc.php in spotweb 1.5.1 and below allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the firstname parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/08/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-40969 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the spotweb web application version 1.5.1 and earlier. This vulnerability specifically affects the installer component of the application, namely the templates/installer/step-004.inc.php file, which processes user input during the installation process. The issue arises from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter malicious content submitted by attackers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the firstname parameter which is processed during the installation steps of spotweb. When an attacker submits malicious input containing script tags or other HTML content through this parameter, the application fails to sanitize the input before rendering it in the web page context. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code that executes in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected installation pages. The vulnerability is classified as a reflected XSS attack since the malicious payload is reflected back to users through the vulnerable parameter without proper encoding or escaping.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-40969 extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with potential access to sensitive user sessions and data. An attacker could craft malicious payloads that steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. This vulnerability particularly affects the installation phase of spotweb, making it especially dangerous during system deployment when administrators are actively engaged with the installation process. The risk is amplified because the vulnerability exists in the installer component, which may be accessible to unauthenticated users during the initial setup of the application.
Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in the context of CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a web application attack vector under the technique of code injection, specifically targeting the execution of malicious scripts in user browsers. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices and highlights the importance of implementing comprehensive output encoding for all user-supplied data. Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through patching to version 1.5.2 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to sanitize input parameters and prevent XSS injection attacks. Additionally, implementing proper content security policies and regular security assessments of web application components can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation.