CVE-2021-40972 in spotwe
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 mail parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/08/2021
The CVE-2021-40972 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the spotweb web application version 1.5.1 and earlier. This vulnerability exists within the installer component of the application, specifically in the file templates/installer/step-004.inc.php, which processes user input through the mail parameter. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions within the application. The vulnerability is classified as a client-side attack vector that exploits the application's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it in the web interface.
This XSS vulnerability operates through the manipulation of the mail parameter during the installation process, where unfiltered input is directly embedded into the HTML output without proper encoding or validation. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code or HTML content that executes when other users view the affected page. The vulnerability's impact is amplified because it occurs during the installation phase, potentially affecting administrators or users who might be in the process of setting up the application. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices, creating a direct pathway for malicious code injection that violates fundamental web security principles.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-40972 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a range of malicious activities including but not limited to session fixation, credential harvesting, and redirection to malicious sites. Attackers could craft payloads that steal authentication cookies, capture user input, or manipulate the installation process itself. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where spotweb is used for security monitoring and alerting, as compromised installations could provide attackers with access to sensitive security information and potentially allow them to bypass security controls. This represents a significant risk to organizations relying on spotweb for security operations and threat monitoring.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the spotweb application to version 1.5.2 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the XSS flaw. Organizations should implement input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being rendered in HTML contexts. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against XSS attacks. Security teams should conduct thorough code reviews focusing on input handling and output encoding practices, particularly in installer and administrative components. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which covers social engineering through spearphishing with a link. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect suspicious payloads and establish incident response procedures to address potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of web applications should include thorough testing of input validation mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future versions.