CVE-2021-41565 in TadTools
Summary
by MITRE • 10/08/2021
TadTools special page parameter does not properly restrict the input of specific characters, thus remote attackers can inject JavaScript syntax without logging in, and further perform reflective XSS attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-41565 resides within the TadTools special page functionality where inadequate input validation permits malicious actors to exploit a reflective cross-site scripting flaw. This security weakness specifically manifests when the special page parameter fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data, creating an avenue for unauthorized code injection. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and represents a classic example of insufficient input sanitization that directly enables client-side attack vectors.
The technical flaw stems from the application's failure to implement proper character restriction mechanisms within the special page parameter handling logic. When users provide input through this parameter, the system does not adequately filter or escape special characters that could be interpreted as JavaScript code by web browsers. This oversight allows attackers to embed malicious scripts within the parameter values, which then get executed in the context of other users' browsers when they access the affected page. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates without requiring authentication, making it accessible to any remote attacker with knowledge of the target application's URL structure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform a range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. Reflective XSS attacks leveraging this flaw can be delivered through various means such as phishing emails, malicious links in chat applications, or compromised advertisements. The attack surface is broad since the vulnerability affects any user interaction with the special page functionality, potentially compromising all visitors to pages that utilize this feature. This represents a significant threat to user privacy and application security, as successful exploitation can lead to complete compromise of user sessions and potential lateral movement within the application environment.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user-provided input through strict character filtering and escaping of special characters that could enable script execution. Organizations should implement proper content security policies and utilize web application firewalls to detect and prevent malicious payloads. Additionally, the application should employ proper output encoding when rendering user-supplied data back to browsers, ensuring that any potentially dangerous characters are properly escaped. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting languages and T1566 for phishing attacks. Regular security testing and code reviews should be implemented to identify similar input validation weaknesses throughout the application codebase, with particular attention to all parameters that accept user input and are subsequently rendered in web pages.