CVE-2022-0087 in keystone
Summary
by MITRE • 01/12/2022
keystone is vulnerable to Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-0087 affects the keystone framework, a popular Node.js content management system that enables developers to build web applications with robust administrative interfaces. This security flaw represents a classic cross-site scripting vulnerability that arises from inadequate input sanitization during web page generation processes. The vulnerability specifically manifests when user-supplied data is not properly escaped or validated before being rendered in web interfaces, creating opportunities for malicious actors to inject harmful scripts into web pages viewed by other users. This weakness exists within the framework's handling of dynamic content rendering and user input processing mechanisms that are fundamental to content management systems.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of input during web page generation, which directly maps to CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation. The keystone framework fails to adequately sanitize user-provided data before incorporating it into HTML output, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code through various input vectors including form fields, URL parameters, or API endpoints. When legitimate users view pages containing this maliciously injected content, their browsers execute the embedded scripts, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability impacts both the administrative interface and public-facing web pages generated by the framework, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect all users interacting with the application.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-0087 extends beyond simple script execution, as it creates persistent security risks for organizations relying on keystone for their web applications. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access to administrative interfaces, potentially compromising entire web applications and their underlying data repositories. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 - Phishing: Email, where malicious payloads are delivered through web interfaces, and T1071.001 - Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols, as it exploits HTTP-based communication channels. Organizations using keystone may face data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive information, and potential compromise of their entire web infrastructure, particularly when the framework is used to manage applications with user authentication and authorization mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-0087 should prioritize immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the keystone framework. Organizations must ensure all user-provided data undergoes proper sanitization before being rendered in web pages, implementing context-aware escaping for different output contexts including HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. The recommended approach includes updating to patched versions of the keystone framework, implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. Additionally, security teams should conduct comprehensive code reviews to identify similar input handling patterns throughout the application, implement automated security testing including dynamic application security testing, and establish secure coding practices that align with OWASP Top Ten security requirements. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be maintained to prevent similar issues from emerging in other components of the web application stack.