CVE-2022-1180 in OpenEMR
Summary
by MITRE • 03/30/2022
Reflected Cross Site Scripting in GitHub repository openemr/openemr prior to 6.0.0.4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/01/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-1180 represents a reflected cross site scripting flaw discovered in the openemr repository prior to version 6.0.0.4. This issue resides within the web application framework that serves as a comprehensive electronic medical records system, making it a critical security concern for healthcare organizations relying on this platform. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's handling of user-supplied data. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious URLs containing script code that gets reflected back to users through web pages, potentially executing unauthorized scripts in the context of the victim's browser session.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize and encode user input before incorporating it into web responses. This flaw typically manifests in parameters or query strings that are directly echoed back to users without appropriate security measures. The reflected nature of this XSS vulnerability means that the malicious script code is not stored on the server but rather transmitted from the attacker to the victim through a maliciously crafted link. When a user clicks such a link, the web application reflects the injected script back to the user's browser, where it executes in the context of the user's session. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross site scripting flaws in web applications. The weakness creates an environment where attackers can potentially steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious sites.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-1180 extends beyond simple script execution as it presents a significant threat to healthcare data integrity and user privacy within medical environments. Healthcare organizations utilizing the openemr platform become vulnerable to attacks that could compromise patient records, manipulate medical data, or facilitate further attacks on the network infrastructure. The reflected nature of the vulnerability makes it particularly dangerous as it requires minimal setup from attackers who can simply send malicious links via email or other communication channels. The exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive health information, potential data breaches, and violations of healthcare privacy regulations such as HIPAA. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability fits within the attack pattern described by ATT&CK technique T1566 which encompasses social engineering attacks through malicious links and payloads. The potential for session hijacking and credential theft makes this vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors targeting healthcare organizations where sensitive data is stored.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-1180 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. Organizations should immediately upgrade to version 6.0.0.4 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper sanitization of user input and implementation of secure output encoding. Additionally, developers should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities and employ proper input validation routines that filter out potentially malicious content. The implementation of a Web Application Firewall can provide additional protection layers, though it should not be considered a replacement for proper code-level fixes. Security headers such as X-Content-Type-Options and X-Frame-Options should be implemented to further protect against various attack vectors. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application. Organizations should also implement user education programs to help prevent successful social engineering attacks that might exploit this vulnerability, particularly in environments where users may be less security-aware. The remediation process should include thorough testing to ensure that all input fields and parameters are properly sanitized while maintaining the application's functionality and user experience.